FIRST 



ONGREGATIONAL Church 



RANDOLPH, MASS. 



sary 



17^ 1--1 



LIBRARY OF CONGRESS 




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MCLlOTyft rWINTINO 



Fourth Meeting House.-and Parsonage. 
1860. 



PROCEEDINGS 



One Hundred and Fiftieth Anniversary 



OF THE ORGANIZATION OF THE 

FIRST Congregational Church, 



RANDOLPH, MASS. 



Wednesday, June 8th, i88i 



BOSTON : 
BEACON PRESS: THOJVIAS TODD, PRINTER, 

No. I Somerset Street. 
1881. 






r 



5^rdiminarp. 



At a meeting of the First Congregational Church of Ran- 
dolph, held November i8, 1880, 

It was voted : That the approaching One Hundred and 
Fiftieth Anniversary of the organization of this Church be 
observed with appropriate exercises ; 

That Rev. Edmund K. Alden, D.D., be invited to deliver 
the Memorial Address ; 

That a Committee of Arrangements be appointed, into 
whose hands all further preparations shall be intrusted ; 

That the Parish connected with this Church be cordially 
invited to unite with us in the proposed celebration. 

The invitation at once extended to Dr. Alden he was 
obliged to decline, and a readjustment of the programme 
became necessary. 

At the Annual Meeting of the First Parish in April, i88r, 
a committee was appointed to cooperate with the existing 
committee of the Church. 

Cordial invitations to the celebration were extended to sur- 
viving absent, or past, members of the Church, Parish, and 
Congregation ; to the First Congregational Church and So- 
ciety in Braintree; the Winthrop Church and Society in Hol- 
brook ; the Baptist Church and Society in Randolph ; to 
Pastors and Clergymen in neighboring towns ; to the Honor- 
able Board of Selectmen, and the several School Committees 
of Randolph ; and to many others. 



4 First Congregational Church, Randolph. 

The excellence of the singing by the regular choir was 
noticeable ; some of the music rendered was composed for 
the occasion by Mr. Lyman F. Brackett, Organist and Director. 

In addition to the services of the Church choir, a popular 
feature of the occasion was the impressive singing of ancient 
hymns by the chorus choir of one hundred voices, accom- 
panied by an old-time orchestra, organized for the occasion 
and directed by Mr. John Berry Thayer. 

The following was the 



<0rtier of oBjcercij^e^, 



afternoon, at ttoo o'clocfe. 

(©rgan i©oTuntarp. 

3tnt{)em. 

iHeabtng of tfte .Scriptures. 
By Rev. F. P. Chapin, of the First Church, Weymouth. 

draper. 
By Rev. E. Russell, D. D., of Holbrook. 

.Smoino. 
"O God of Bethel, by whose hand" . . . . P. Doddridge, /7J7. 

I 

^(^istoricaT ©iscburje. 
By Rev. J. C. Labaree. 

.SinginB. 

" Give me the wings of faith, to rise " ... Isaac IVat/s, ijog. 

I 
l^istorio of t^e .S^lbliatl) Scljool. 

By Rev. Ebenezer Alden, of Marshfield. 



One Hundred and Fiftieth Anniversary. 5 

.Rinsing. 

" O Lord, our fathers oft have told," . . . Tate and Brady, rbgb. 

](^istoi-ical .^fietcft of our/JFour jUaeetina-K^cusFES. 
By Benjamin Dickerman, Esq. 

.Ringing. 
" Praise ye the Lord ; exalt his name," . . . Isaac Watts, 17 rg. 

123enebiction. 
By Rev. G. F. Stanton, of So. Weymouth. 



ffitenine, at €)etjen anti onesl)aIf o'cloc6« 

3Cnttem. 

l^rapiT. 
By Rev. H. L. Kelsey, of Brockton. 

C^ifftorp of JBijisJc in tftis .§>ocii'tio. 
By Rev. Asa ^ann, of Braintree. 

During the reading of this Address, the music of different periods will be illustrated. 

dfte 2Cncimt " l^recinct," tfee jUaobcrn ^ari£f]&, ani) tfte (STottjn. 
By Hon. J. White Belcher. 

.5§)tnging. 
"O God, our help in ages past," Isaac Watts, iTig. 

?t b tr r e s s E ^ . 

59ovoKogp. 

■^Beneliiction. 



(Committee^* 



General <JrommitteE of 2Crran0£ment^. 

Of the Church. 0/ the Parish. 

J. C. Labaree, J. White Belcher, 

Joseph Graham, Royal W. Turner, 

Royal T. Mann, John Long. 
George H, Wilkins. 



<©n ^O0"i?ital(it|o. 

John V. Beal, Francis A. Stanley, 

M. Wales Baker. 



David Burrell, William Porter, 

Alfred W. Whitcomb, Lyman F. Brackett, 

Winslow Battles, John Berry Thayer. 



<©n printing. 

J. C. Labaree, George H. Wilkins, 

Edward N. Lovering. 



<&n fftnance. 

George B. Bryant, William T. Hazard, 

Charles E. Pratt. 



One Hundred and Fiftieth Anniversary. 

(©n €iJl[Karitin. 

Daniel B. White, Mrs. Horatio B. Alden. 

Benjamin Belcher, Mrs. Wales Harris, 

Mrs. Isaac Niles, Mrs. Fred. S. Howard, 

Miss Eliza F. Blair. 

«©n ©ecoratton. 

Miss Alice M. Turner, Miss Mary Long, 
Miss Lizzie S. Bowman. 



J. C. Labaree, 
Joseph Graham, 
Royal T. Mann, 



<f^n publication. 

George H. Wilkins, 
John V. Beal, 
J. White Belcher, 
John Long. 



Jonathan Wales, 
Charles G. Hathaway, 
Dr. a. L. Chase, 
William T. Hazard, 



Frederick L. Belcher, 
Weston C. Alden, 
George H. Nichols, 
Emerson A. Leach. 



BY REV. J. C. LABAREE. 

Remember the days of old, consider the years of many generations : 
ask thy father, and he will shew thee ; thy elders, and they will tell 
thee. — Deuteronomy xxxii : 7. 

Reverently and gratefully we welcome this anniversary 
day. We first lift our thankful hearts in praise to Him whose 
providence has protected, and whose Spirit has blessed, gen- 
eration after generation of the fathers and sons who have 
worshiped here. We come to tell the simple story of their 
humble circumstances, their self-denying work, their manly 
virtues, their pure and steadfast faith, and the blessings of 
Heaven upon their labors. 

In our effort to trace the stream of sacred influences to its 
source, we keenly feel the loss of one as our guide, whose 
birth was far up among the springs of the last century, and 
whose death has hidden from us much of the knowledge of 
our ancient times — the late Dr. Ebenezer Alden. The leg- 
acy of facts and sketches which Dr. Alden has left us alone 
renders it possible to touch with exactness many points in 
the imperfect narrative now presented. All the more do we 
miss the venerable patriarch, because illness has kept from 
our gathering to-day one of his honored sons, on whom we 
had depended for much of the profit and the fine flavor of 
this feast. 

Far away among the romantic stories of an unreal life seem 
the beginnings of a Church on this hill one hundred and fifty 
years ago. Yet when this Church was organized, the Pilgrim 



lO First Congregational Church, Randolph. 

Church on Plymouth Rock had been planted one hundred and 
eleven years. Boston had just passed her first centennial. Towns 
and settlements had sprung up in every direction, and were 
pushing farther and farther into the wilderness. The Con- 
necticut Valley was perhaps the boundary of Puritan civiliza- 
tion on the west. Not till 1732 was a stage-coach run between 
Boston and New York, and then only once a month, fourteen 
days being occupied in the journey. Brattleboro, Vt., and 
Concord, N. H., were the extreme and scarcely established 
posts toward the north. The Quaker City, which William 
Penn had founded only forty-nine years before, contained 
10,000 people. New York was a city of 8,620 inhabitants, 
while the town of Boston was the largest place on the North 
American coast, having a population of more than 18,000. 
Massachusetts boasted of 120,000 souls, and 119 incorporated 
towns. 

Within the Province 179 Churches of our order had al- 
ready been gathered. Scattered over the remaining territory 
of New England, a hundred other Churches had begun to 
give light to the rising settlements. Of other denominations 
it may suffice to say : the Church of England had two 
Churches in Boston, and three elsewhere, one of which was 
in the north precinct of Braintree ; three Baptist Churches 
had been gathered ; a few Quaker meetings were held ; and 
one French Protestant Church existed in Boston. 

The one hundred and eightieth Congregational Church in 
Massachusetts was planted upon this hill. The region around 
was late in being settled. It was midway between Boston and 
Plymouth ; its ownership was to some extent in dispute, and 
few water-courses or open meadows invited the early settler 
hither. 

The town of Randolph is a part of the territory known of 
old as Braintree. From 1634 to 1640 it seems to have be- 
longed to Boston, and while so connected, a branch of the 
First Church in Boston was granted to the settlers at the 
northern, or Quincy, portion of the district, October 18, 



One Hundred and Fiftieth Anniversary. ii 

1636 (o. s.), and John Wheelwright was given the right to 
preach there. An independent existence as a Church was 
sought and granted; and the First Church in Braintree was 
organized September 17, 1639 (o- S-). It is that which now 
worships in the Old Stone Church in Quincy. 

For sixty years families increased, and settlers pushed 
southward and up the little streams into the forests, until by 
the year 1706 seventy-one families — or one half of the popu- 
lation — had located south of the line which now divides 
Quincy from Braintree. By their request they were set off as 
a separate " precinct," in keeping with the custom of the 
times. A Church was organized September 10, 1707 (o. s.). 
And still the tide of settlement pressed farther to the south. 

Just when the first clearing was made, where the first cabin 
was erected, or who had the honor of being the pioneer settler, 
within the limits of Randolph, has not yet been discovered. 
As early as 1640 land in this vicinity was granted by the 
General Court ; but no settlements are believed to have been 
made during the seventeenth century. In 1 708-11 a vast 
tract was subdivided ; lots were assigned and deeds were ex- 
ecuted, and evidence exists that soon afterward permanent 
settlements began to be numerous. As early as 17 10 one 
saw-mill, possibly two, had been erected within our limits. 

By the year 1727 many families had scattered themselves 
over this wide region, disputing their right to the soil with the 
wolf and the bear. Their humble homes were found along 
the " Cochato River " and " Tumbling Brook," on the east, 
and still farther on to the southeast ; some of them in the 
west, and on the " Norroway " brook to the north ; and their 
log cabins were hidden in the forest at intervals for two or 
three miles along this " country road to Bridgewater." 

Extremely primitive and self-denying was their solitary life. 
By day and by night they were "in perils in the wilderness." 
But of all their many dangers and privations, one alone was 
put on record, — one only was to them so serious that we even 
hear the echo of their complaint to-day. It was their lack of 



12 First Congregational Church, Randolph. 

religious privileges, by reason of their distance from the house 
of God. The Sabbath-day journey to Braintree was long, 
often perilous, and in winter well-nigh impracticable; the 
only road, a path through the woods ; their only method of 
travel, on foot or on horseback. Yet go they must, for they 
were Puritans ; " it being as unnatural for a right New Eng- 
land man to live without an able ministry, as for a blacksmith 
to work his iron without a fire." 

Twenty years after the formation of the Church, now known 
as the Congregational Church of Braintree, these scattered 
families had increased to " above forty in number," and they 
began to call for a precinct and a meeting-house, a minister, 
and even a township of their own. By the laws of the colony 
there could not be two Churches in one " precinct." No min- 
ister could be settled where there had been no precinct estab- 
lished, pledged to support preaching; and a precinct could not 
be set up, save by the authority of the General Court, and 
usually by consent also of the parish with whom the people 
had already been worshiping. 

As early at least as the summer of 1727 the people had 
erected a meeting-house on this hill. In the autumn of the 
same year, the mother Society, pastor. Church, and precinct 
— to their honor be it spoken — gave unanimous consent, 
and very kind encouragement, to the proposed enterprise in 
this part of the town. The formal action of the old precinct 
determined also the line which should divide the parishes — a 
line which conforms very closely to the present boundary be- 
tween Braintree and Randolph. With this cordial and very 
unusual indorsement of their plans, the next step was to peti- 
tion the General Court for an act of incorporation as a distinct 
precinct, with all legal rights and privileges. Such a paper 
was presented to the Court by John Niles, Jr., " a principal 
inhabitant," and twenty-seven other residents. This ancient 
document, now one hundred and fifty-four years old, still 
exists in the archives of the State. As it is of much intrinsic 
interest, and seems not to have been seen or heard of for 



One Hundred and Fiftieth Anniversary. 13 

generations, it may not be out of place to read portions of it 
on this occasion.* 

" The Petition of Diverfe of the Inhabitants refiding in the South 
" End of the South Precin6l in Braintry, in behalf of themselves, 
"and of their Neighbours. South Braintry, December 28, 1727. 
" Humbly Sheweth 

"That your Petitioners, and others of our Neighbours who joyn 
" with us, are labouring under difficult, and diftreffing circum- 
" fiances, in regard of the remotenefs of our Habitations from the 
" Publick worfhip of God for feveral of us dwell at Such a diftance 
" therefrom, that we, with our families are forced to travaille upon 
" the Sabbath five miles, Some Six, Some Seven miles to a Meeting 
" to hear the word preached, upon which confideration. That it 
" might be lefs labour and more eafie for us, we have been at the 
" charge to Ere6l a Convenient House, and have fet it in fuch a 
" Suitable place (tho' not yet finilhed) as may very well accommo- 
" date the Neighborhood, for Such a Service. Alfo we have chosen 
" perfons to feek for a Suitable Minifter to preach with us this Win- 
" ter, this was done with the Advice and confent of our prefent 
" Minifter Mr. Niles, who has promifed his affiftance in this good 
"work." . . . 

" We remain and Subfcribe our Selves your humble Servants : 
"John Niles, Samuel Pain, Benjamin Hayward, Thomas Fenton, 
" John French, Thomas Wales, William Linfield, David Fames, 
" Joseph Wales, James Bagley, David Niles, Ebenezer Niles, John 
" Nightingal, John Smith, Gideon Thayer, John Allen, Samuel Bag- 
"ley, Willm Nightingal, Senr., James Penniman, Samuel Speer, 
" Moses Curtis, ^Jonathan Hayden, Ebenezer Copeland, Samuel 
" Bass, Alexander French, William Nightingal Junr-, Nanthanll Bel- 
" cher, Daniel Thayer." 

This petition was presented in December, 1727, and on 
January 5-16, 1728, "the prayer of the petition" was granted. 
Whether they succeeded in obtaining "a suitable minister to 
preach with them that winter," we have no means of knowing, 
as the first leaves of the parish records are lost. From the 

* A fac-simile of this document will be found in the Appendix. 



14 First Congregational Church, Randolph. 

earliest pages left to us, it appears that preaching was secured 
at least during the autumn of the year 1728. 

It was the custom in the early time for the parish to have a 
voice not only in choosing a pastor, but also in deciding who 
the candidates for that office should be. And the Committee 
could only engage such gentlemen to preach as had already 
been approved in parish meeting. It was the practice also to 
hire a candidate for three months, and then for the Church 
and parish to take action upon his case. In this way much 
time was consumed ; some candidates failing to please the 
people, and others not inclining to accept the cordial invita- 
tions given them. Four dreary winters passed, and still the 
rude meeting-house had not echoed to the voice of the coming 
pastor. But the needy flock have not now long to wait. The 
records say: 

"March ye 10 1731 Voted that Mr. Eaton be ye man to take 
" ye pafloral care of this people." " Voted to give Mr Eaton 
" feventy pounds a year for two years and then rise five pounds a 
" year for two years, and then eighty pounds a year for his Sallary 
" as long as he carys on the work of ye Miniflry amongft us ; in 
" money or Bills of Credit as Siluer money at Eighteen ShiUings 
" an ounce. Voted that we will giue Mr. Eaton an Hundred and 
" fifty pounds in money for fettlement." 

Mr. Eaton accepted the call. No Church organization, 
however, yet existed, the precinct having transacted all the 
business thus far. But when the Lord had sent them the 
pastor they had been searching for, steps were immediately 
taken to organize a Church. 

At the founding of a Church the Puritans were accustomed 
to gather into it only a few well-known and reliable men, and 
to leave with them the responsibility of admitting others. 

The First Church in Boston was formed with only four mem- 
bers, the Church in Ouincy with eight, that in Brain tree with 
ten. Seven was the favorite number in early times. Ten 
were admitted to this Church at its formation, the pastor-elect 



07ie Hundred and Fiftieth Anniversary. 15 

being of the number. Not on the day of the ordination of 
the minister was this Church organized, although that was 
the usual mode of procedure. 

It was on Friday, the 28th of May, 1731 (o. s.), or the 8th 
of June (n. s.), that the young pastor-elect and nine laymen 
here entered into solemn vows with God and with each other. 
(Very probably it was a day of special fasting and prayer with 
the good people. The First Church in Boston was organized 
on Friday, and it was observed as a fast-day.) This was the 
prominent and important act in the early history of the place. 
For this the meeting-house had been built ; with reference to 
this the precinct had been granted; toward this every step of 
parish action had been directed. Other events may have 
been more interesting, and have seemed to be more essential 
and enduring. Few things, indeed, remain as they then were. 
The pastor that was ordained, where is he now .-* The pre- 
cinct, so endowed with rights and powers like those of a 
town-meeting, is not now what it was. The town itself is no 
longer the Braintree of old; the Province of Massachusetts 
Bay has passed through radical changes, and the sovereign 
power of England has utterly passed away from the soil. 
What else but the Church of Christ remains, in the letter and 
in the spirit, as it was that day .-* It contained as did nothing 
else the element of permanency. This, then, we look back 
upon as the central and representative event. Other things 
gather round it as children around their mother; but this is 
the chief figure in all the group. 

The agreement to which the original members gave their 
heart and hand one hundred and fifty years ago to-day was a 
covenant, not a creed. The creed of the Churches was con- 
tained in the Westminster Catechism, and, still further, in the 
Confession of Faith adopted by the Synod of the Churches 
of Massachusetts, at Cambridge, in 1680. All the Churches 
of the Congregational order were presumed to accept those 
declarations, and the people then, with few exceptions, were 



1 6 First Congregational Church, Randolph. 

one in doctrine. The individual Churches, therefore, had no 
other creed, and needed none. Accepting the established 
standards as a matter of course, they only covenanted in 
public to serve the Lord, and walk together according to the 
Scriptures and the order of the Churches. 

The Covenant * which was adopted and signed was a full and 
tender expression of their deep humiliation before God, their 
grateful and complete dependence on Jesus Christ as their 
only hope of salvation, their indispensable obligations to lead 
a holy life, and their entire consecration to the service and 
glory of God, and his kingdom on earth ; and they closed 
their solemn contract with Heaven and with each other, say- 
ing : "And all this we do, flying to the blood of the everlasting 
Covenant for the pardon of all our sins, and praying that the 
glorious Lord who is the great Shepherd would prepare and 
strengthen us to every good work to do his will, working in 
us that which is well-pleasing in his sight. To whom be glory 
forever and ever. Amen." This Covenant was signed by 
Elisha Eaton, pastor, John Niles, Moses Curtis, John Niles, 
William Copeland, Thomas Wales, David Eames, Samuel 
Bass, Joseph White, David Slone. 

So it was that "in the name of the Lord they set up their 
banners." They " despised not the day of small things ; " 
but cast in "a handful of corn in the earth upon the top 
of the mountains; the fruit thereof shall shake like Leba- 
non." 

After the Church was organized, five days intervened, and 
then, on Wednesday, June 2d, the young pastor was ordained. 
The leaf in the parish records which should contain an ac- 
count of this important event is wanting. The following 
item in The Boston News-Letter for June lO, 1731, has very 
recently been found, and gives us all the information we yet 
have concerning the ordination of our first pastor : 

* The full Covenant is given in the Appendix. 



One Hundred and Fiftieth Antiiversary. 17 

"Braintree, Third Precinft, yune 2, 173 1. 

"A church has been lately gathered in this Parifli, and the Rev. 
" Mr. Elifha Eaton was this Day Ordained the Paflor of it. The 
" Rev. Mr. Paine of Weymouth began with Prayer, The Rev. Mr. 
"Lewis of Pembroke preach'd from i Cor. ix. 27. Leji that by any 
" means when I have preached utito others, I myfelf JJiould be a cajl- 
" away. The Rev. Mr. Niles of Braintree gave the Charge, and 
" the Rev. Mr. Gay of Hingham the Fellowfhip of the Churches." 

Rev. Elisha Eaton was from Taunton, and is believed to 
have descended from the Batons of Plymouth. He graduated 
at Harvard College in 1729. When called to this Church he 
was styled " school-master," and tradition says he sometimes 
taught the winter school in this parish. 

He married Mrs. Katherine Clough, of Boston, daughter of 
Samuel and Elizabeth Belcher, of Braintree. He bought a 
house and thirty acres of land of Jonathan Hayden in 1732 for 
;^200. The building has long since disappeared. Its location, 
however, is believed to have been on the west side of North 
Street, near the old cemetery, where Charles Holbrook now 
lives. There was the first pastor's home for nearly twenty 
years. There six children were born, of whom Samuel, the 
second son, became a minister, succeeded his father in his 
second parish, and was a man of wide influence. 

The circumstances and period in which Mr. Eaton entered 
upon his work here offered great discouragements. " Above 
forty families," or more than two hundred souls, were at once 
placed under his charge. They were scattered over a wide 
territory. To many a cabin he must find his way by uncer- 
tain footpaths, and trees marked by the ax. Books were few, 
schools were poor, and within reach of many were not kept at 
all. The political state of the country was disturbed, and the 
religious condition worse. It was a period of sad religious 
decline, soon to be followed, however, by the Great Awaken- 
ing under Edwards in 1735, and Whitefield in 1740. The 
" Half-Way Covenant," which was in general use among the 



1 8 First Congregational Church, Randolph. 

churches, was a source of injury and trouble. As it was 
adopted by this Church, it demands a moment's notice, and 
for some, possibly, a word of explanation. In 163 1 the Gen- 
eral Court issued an order " that for the time to come none 
should be admitted to the freedom of the body politic but 
such as were church members." To relieve those who were 
thus cut off from political privileges, it was declared by a 
general Synod of Churches, in 1662, that persons might be 
admitted to a nominal church membership, called " the Half- 
Way Covenant," and might have their children baptized, pro- 
vided they had themselves been baptized in infancy, were not 
scandalous in life, and understood and accepted the doctrines 
of the churches. This system was from the very first adopted 
by this Church, as by all the sister churches, — "that most 
happy device," said the Rev. Dr. Storrs, "for filling up the 
Church with hypocrites and the world with infidels." 

The plan was never very popular in this place, we are glad 
to notice ; the admissions by this method being on the aver- 
age only two for each year, or a total of one hundred and 
twenty-four for sixty years, the majority of which were 
females ; after which we hear of it no more, or, as Dr. Alden 
states, " It was practically laid aside, although without a 
formal vote of the Church." 

Tradition says that Rev. Mr. Eaton, and also the other 
ministers in Braintree, were not favorable to the preaching 
and the measures of Whitefield, when he was in the vicinity. 
This objection was occasioned, no doubt, by his natural con- 
servatism, and not by any leaning to Arminian views, for he 
was regarded as thoroughly Calvinistic. The great Revivalist 
did not preach in either parish of Braintree, as he did in some 
of the neighboring towns with most happy results. This 
field, however, was not barren during those years of plenty to 
so many other churches. 

The blessing of God was upon the efforts of the youthful 
preacher. The prayers of the people were answered, in part 
at least. Dr. Hitchcock, in his Century Sermon (a manu- 



One Hundred and Fiftieth Anniversary. 19 

script of decided interest), says : " During the ministry of 
Rev. Mr. Eaton, in 1742, there was a great attention to relig- 
ion in this place, and in the country generally. At that time 
the Spirit of God was poured out in abundant measure. A 
deep and anxious spirit of inquiry pervaded the people gen- 
erally, and many were added to the Church." By the records 
we learn that during the years 1741-43 over forty persons 
were received into full communion ; and during the entire 
ministry of Mr. Eaton one hundred and thirty united with the 
Church. It is fitting that we should do honor to-day to this 
good man, who labored long and faithfully for this Church. 
By his hand were laid those foundations upon which we stand, 
and his reward is with him. 

Dr. Hitchcock testifies that " the impression which has 
descended from one generation to another respecting the 
character of Mr. Eaton is, that he was an able, exemplary, 
faithful, affectionate, and evangelical minister." 

For nineteen years the first pastor continued his work here, 
and then voluntarily withdrew ; his peace having been dis- 
turbed, and his usefulness to an extent impaired, by the idle 
talk of a person who "was judged by some to be crazy, and 
by some wicked." His labors with this Church closed June 
7, 1750. He was afterwards settled at Harpswell, Me., where 
he died April 22, 1764. 

The committee authorized to seek a minister after the dis- 
mission of Rev. Mr. Eaton was directed to obtain " an Ortho- 
dox minister." But why the necessity of such instructions } 
Were there any but Orthodox ministers in those days .'' Yes. 
Truth requires us to say that at this time from the oldest pul- 
pit in the town were proclaimed new and erroneous doctrines 
by one who on that account was soon obliged to leave his 
own parish. He had caused much disturbance, however, in the 
vicinity. 

One sermon especially excited animated discussion. After 
it had been preached in several pulpits, and most probably in 
this one, it was published. Very evidently it created a sensa- 



20 First Congregational Church, Randolph. 

tion in this parish, yet received no sympathy that we hear of. 
In reply to this famous sermon a discourse was preached 
before this people December 25, 1749, by Rev. John Porter, of 
the Fourth Church in Bridgewater (now the First Church in 
Brockton). Mr. Porter was an able and excellent man, a 
strong defender of the faith. His sermon met such a cordial 
response from this people that it was published ; and on the 
title-page we read, "A Sermon preached at the South Pre- 
cinct in Braintry, and published at the earnest desire of the 
hearers." 

An "Attestation," or very strong indorsement, accompanies 
this discourse, signed by Elisha Eaton and four other names. 
A copy of this rare publication still survives (in the Congre- 
gational Library, Boston), to testify to the love of sound doc- 
trine in the hearts of pastor and people, and explaining the 
injunction of the parish to its committee to obtain "an Ortho- 
dox minister." 

After some differences, if not difficulties, in their choice, 
and certain ineffectual attempts to secure ministers upon 
whom they did agree, Moses Taft, of Mendon, was finally 
invited to carry on the work of the Gospel ministry. He 
accepted the call, and was ordained August 26, 1752. The 
parish records inform us that " Rev. Nathan Webb, of Ux- 
bridge, began with prayer ; Rev. John Shaw, of Bridgewater, 
preached the sermon ; Rev. Samuel Niles, of this town, prayed 
while the hands were imposed, and gave the charge; Rev. Mr. 
Bailey, of Weymouth, gave the right hand of fellowship ; 
and the whole was carried on in a decent, orderly manner, 
without any disturbance." The sermon was upon the text in 
Jeremiah iii : 15, and was published, together with the charge, 
the right hand of fellowship, and Rev. Mr. Taft's confes- 
sion of faith, which was pronounced by the Council "worthy 
of imitation in these perilous times in like cases, as one proper 
expedient to prevent the further spread of errors in the land 
and defection in the churches." 

This ordination sermon was the second published at the 



One Hundred and Fiftieth Anniversary. 21 

request of this people, and, though now very rare, a copy may 
be found in the Massachusetts Historical Society Collection 
and one in the Library of Brown University. (For Mr. Taft's 
Confession of Faith, see Appendix.) 

Mr. Taft was the shepherd of this flock longer than any 
other pastor. For thirty-nine years and three months he held 
his position, and then died in office November 11, 1791. 

During the last years of his ministry, however, his health 
was very feeble, and a colleague was provided. His last ser- 
mon was preached on Thanksgiving Day, 1789. The pastor- 
ate of Mr. Taft covered the exciting and to some extent 
demoralizing period of the Revolution ; and it may not be 
considered remarkable, perhaps, that less attention was paid 
to the subject of religion than in other years. There were, 
however, seasons of special awakening during this pastorate. 
About one hundred and fifteen were added to the Church 
under this ministry. 

Said Rev. Dr. Hitchcock in his anniversary discourse, in 
1827: "Mr. Taft is distinctly remembered by many now liv- 
ing. All whom I have heard speak of him have agreed in 
their testimony that he was a plain, honest-hear.ted, good man, 
exemplary in his conduct, and evangelical in his principles, 
though he was not thought to be so discriminating and clear 
as some of his brethren, and neither so argumentative as 
Paul, nor so eloquent as Apollos." 

Rev. Mr. Taft was buried in the village cemetery. A tomb- 
stone has recently been placed over his grave, by the pious 
care and liberality of Dr. E. Alden. 

While the venerable pastor was rapidly yielding to the in- 
firmities of age, his pulpit was often supplied by ministers 
from abroad. Among these there came a young man upon 
whom the hearts of the people immediately centered as a 
suitable colleague for their aged father in the ministry. He 
came not as a candidate, but to offer friendly relief to the 
honored but enfeebled prophet of the Lord. His name was 
Jonathan Strong. His first sermon in this place was preached 



22 First Congregational Church, Randolph. 

June I, 1788. He was at that time a youth not yet twenty- 
four years of age. Two years before, he had graduated at 
Dartmouth College, and " the close of his college life," we 
are told, " found him as intimately acquainted with theology 
as with the classics." A portion of the intervening years he 
had spent in teaching school, a part in studying theology with 
Rev. Ephraim Judson, of Taunton, and for three months he 
had preached in Attleboro, where he was cordially invited to 
settle. Declining the favorable call, Providence directed his 
steps to this, the Third Church in Braintree ; and to-day we 
recognize the goodness of the Lord to this Church and people 
in introducing to them Jonathan Strong. A unanimous call 
was extended to him by Church and parish. His letter of 
acceptance was brief, tender, and cordial. He reserves for 
himself " a few Sabbaths to visit his friends ; " and, as Dr. 
Hitchcock after him did the same, it is evident that for the 
last hundred years ministers' vacations have been the rule, in 
this parish at least, and probably are not anywhere such a 
novelty as some have supposed. 

Jonathan Strong, the third pastor, was ordained January 
28, 1789, as colleague with Rev. Mr. Taft. The sermon on 
the occasion was preached by the candidate's theological in- 
structor. Rev. Ephraim Judson, of Taunton, and was pub- 
lished, with the charge, by Rev. John Porter, of Bridgewater, 
and the right hand of fellowship, by Rev. Ezra Weld, of 
Braintree. 

By the kind providence of God, the ministry thus begun 
was continued for nearly twenty-six years. 

Commencing his ministry as a young and unknown man, 
Jonathan Strong, of Randolph, soon became an eminent and 
honored divine in all this region. His labors here were a 
rich and immediate blessing to his parishioners ; but the 
memory of such a pastor is a precious legacy to each suc- 
ceeding generation. There are a few still with us who remem- 
ber Dr. Strong as the minister of their youth, and who speak 
of him with the highest regard for his personal and Christian 



One Hundred and Fiftieth Anniversary. 23 

character, and for the great work which he was enabled to do 
in the name of the Lord. One of the pupils who sat at his 
feet was our late Dr. Alden, who was prepared for college in 
the study of his pastor, and who remarks of him, " His min- 
istrations were distinguished no less by the fervor, compre- 
hensiveness, and pertinency of his prayers, than by his clear, 
logical, and impressive presentation of truth. As a preacher 
he commanded universal attention. His person was majestic, 
his eye clear and piercing ; his deep, full voice had such 
power that its most suppressed tones could be heard by every 
individual in his audience. His first utterance in prayer 
made it manifest that he was holding communion with God ; 
and as he proceeded his fellow-worshipers seemed to catch his 
spirit, and to become absorbed in the solemn duty in which 
they were engaged," 

Rev. Dr. Storrs, of Braintree, in his biography of Dr. 
Strong, says of him : " He poured his whole heart into his 
public discourses." " If he did not despise the little graces 
of oratory, he did not court them. His object was to en- 
lighten the understanding, convince the judgment, and move 
the affections of his audience. The style of his sermons was 
plain, argumentative, and forcible." 

The recollection of a surviving pupil * of Dr. Strong's early 
Latin class is that " the manuscript before him, in the pulpit, 
contained only the heads and leading thoughts of his dis- 
course. As he preached he held in his left hand a little black 
Bible, the leaves of which he diligently turned, reading the 
references he had marked to sustain the arguments presented. 
Having laid down his points with care, he drew his spectacles 
from his face, and, swinging them in his hand by way of ges- 
ture, he brought home the truth with a directness and vigor 
that were not lost upon his hearers." 

Dr. Strong was a doctrinal preacher. His commanding 
mind grappled naturally and closely with the profound prob- 

* Dr. Bradford L. Wales. 



24 First Congregational Church, Randolph. 

lems of religion, and he powerfully assailed the arguments of 
adversaries and teachers of error. All the churches of his 
day knew that he was a bold and faithful defender of evangel- 
ical religion. 

His ministry was eminently a revival ministry. Three 
special periods of religious interest were enjoyed while he was 
pastor. Within two years after his settlement the first har- 
vest season occurred. Over thirty were added to the Church. 
" This seasonable shower of divine grace imparted a new 
aspect to the whole Church and congregation. It confirmed 
the attachment that already existed between the young pastor 
and his people, and he regarded it as an earnest of abundant 
future harvests to be gathered in the same field." After eight 
years of quietness, a second revival bore witness to his faith- 
ful efforts, and during the years 1799 and 1800 fifty souls 
made profession of their hope in Christ. Following this 
refreshing came a period of much sowing and little reaping, 
and for eight years only ten names were added to the records. 
The third great revival was in 181 2, and forty-one persons 
were gathered into the Church, one of whom — the last sur- 
viving convert under Dr. Strong's ministry — passed on to 
her eternal rest one month ago to-day. The entire number of 
additions to the Church under this able pastor was one hun- 
dred and seventy-six. 

Dr. Strong was suddenly cut off in the midst of his days 
and his usefulness. He was but fifty years of age when, by a 
violent fever, he was summoned from his work and his loving 
people, who mourned for him with deep and lasting grief. 

Dr. Hitchcock, who began his ministry in Randolph a few 
years after the death of Dr. Strong, gives his own impressions 
of the man : " I can truly say respecting him, The memory of 
the just is blessed. It has been the unanimous testimony of 
this people that he was a man eminent in abilities and wis- 
dom, profound in argument, and energetic in action, a fearless 
defender of the truth as it is in Jesus, and a humble follower 
of the Lamb. The impression left on my own mind by his 



07ie Hundfed and Fiftieth Anniversary. 25 

posthumous reputation is, that his appearance and manner in 
the pulpit were eminently commanding and impressive. He 
was, as a social companion and friend, peculiarly adapted to 
attract and conciliate, in all respects endowed with the char- 
acteristics of a man of influence." 

A very appreciative sketch of this able and honored minis- 
ter was published in the Panoplist, November, 18 16, from 
the pen of Rev. Dr. Storrs. But perhaps its several pages do 
not more eloquently set forth his virtues than the epitaph, 
written by the same hand, upon his tombstone, which stands 
in our cemetery : 

" This monument is erected by an affectionate congregation 
in memory of the Rev. Jonathan Strong, D.D., who died 
November 9, 18 14, aged 50, having been pastor of the Church 
in Randolph twenty-sis years. 

" The urbanity of his manners, the vigor of his mind, the 
solidity of his judgment, the extent of his intellectual attain- 
ments, the purity of his faith, the fervor and affection of his 
public addresses, his zeal for God, his benevolence to man, will 
preserve him in the everlasting remembrance of his weeping 
family, his affectionate flock, and all who knew him, 

" ' Our Fathers, where are they .'' and the prophets, do they 
live forever } ' " 

A full genealogical sketch of the Strong family is printed 
in connection with the sermon preached at the funeral of Mrs, 
Strong, by Rev. Calvin Hitchcock, D.D. 

Seven occasional sermons by Rev. Dr. Strong were printed 
before his death. 

As we glance at the period covered by the ministry of this 
honored pastor, we perceive at once the number and import- 
ance of the changes it witnessed. Its beginning was in the 
eighteenth century, and before the experiment of a federal 
government was fairly attempted; it terminated in the busy 
nineteenth, the government firmly established in the hearts of 
the people, and before the eyes of the nations. 

At the first, the manners of a country people were often 



26 First Congregational Church, Randolph. 

homely, if not rude. It was then not unusual to see worthy 
men entering the sanctuary on a Sabbath-day in the farmer's 
frock of blue homespun ; nor was it thought out of place to 
lay aside frock or coat, as the heat became oppressive. Econ- 
omy in the matter of shoes and stockings, out of sight of the 
meeting-house, was very general ; while disturbance from "the 
barefooted boy " in the gallery was no uncommon feature of 
Sabbath services. Even the dread of the officious tithing-man 
was not a guarantee against disorder. Persons are living who 
remember to have heard Dr. Strong call out in the midst of 
his sermon, " I wish I had a horsewhip to reach those boys ! " 
And occasionally an obstinate offender was seized by the 
ruler of the galleries, marched down-stairs, up the broad aisle, 
and placed in the deacon's seat for safe keeping. Surely 
such manners were not brought far onward into the nine- 
teenth century. 

The changes in benevolent and missionary operations dur- 
ing the quarter of a century under review were very marked. 

Benevolence as a Christian duty had never, indeed, been 
entirely forgotten. In the earliest months of parish existence, 
before Church or pastor had come to be, the contribution-box 
was one of the ornaments of the sanctuary, and one of the 
evidences of genuine piety among the humble worshipers. At 
the close of the services all the congregation were expected to 
come up to the man elected " to hold the box " before the 
pulpit, and there deposit their offerings in coin or chattels. 
Of these receipts a portion, from the earliest date of our rec- 
ords, was devoted to " the poor." This method of raising 
charitable funds remained in practice, Dr. Alden tells us, till 
near the time of the Revolutionary War. Larger gifts were 
not unknown even at so early a period. In 1784 Lieutenant 
Joshua Howard donated to the Church for a permanent fund 
the generous sum of fifty pounds sterling, for practical relig- 
ious purposes. Organized benevolent operations were not, 
however, begun till the closing years of the century. 

In May, 1799, the Massachusetts Missionary Society was 



One Hundred and Fiftieth Anniversary. 27 

organized, Dr. Emmons, of Franklin, being chosen its first 
president, and Dr. Strong, of Randolph, one of its first direct- 
ors. In support of this new agency, Female Cent Societies 
sprang up in many of our churches, and of course the " La- 
dies of Dr. Strong's Society" are among those whose early 
donations are acknowledged. 

The organ of this benevolent society was The Massachusetts 
Missionary Magazine, commenced in 1803, and the first per- 
manent religious periodical in the State. To this new 
monthly, which was no less than the beginning, under another 
name, of our now venerable Missionary Herald, Dr. Strong 
was an early and valued contributor. 

And when in a few more years the awakening and rapidly 
extending spirit of missionary enterprise resulted in the forma- 
tion of the American Board (18 10), the pastor and people of 
this Church were deeply interested. On Wednesday, the 12th 
of February, 18 12, a grand missionary meeting was held h-ere 
in Dr. Strong's Church, to express and develop sympathy with 
five young men who had been ordained the week before at 
Salem — the first missionaries to the heathen world which the 
American churches had sent out. From the influences thus 
exerted upon them, it is natural that the people of this Church 
and parish should have early cherished a deep interest in the 
work of Foreign Missions. 

These and other kindred societies and institutions, organ- 
ized about this time, were born of the thoroughly awakened 
religious spirit that followed the great dearth of interest dur- 
ing the period succeeding the Revolution. It was a revival 
era. The Lord greatly blessed the churches with increase 
of spiritual strength, yet He suffered them to be shaken to 
their very foundations by what is known in our ecclesiastical 
history as the Unitarian defection. This Church was not rent 
asunder nor divided in sentiment by that controversy. Not, 
however, without sincere gratitude and thanksgiving for our 
own escape can we pass by that eventful period during which 
so many sister churches were suffering for their steadfast 



28 First Congregational Church, Randolph. 

faith. Not with indifference, but in utmost sympathy, did 
this people watch the great disruption. They welcomed the 
undivided gospel that was proclaimed to them with great 
power. They were blessed with revivals, and were firmly 
established in the truth ; and had great reason to rejoice, and 
did rejoice, that the Lord had given them such a pastor to 
guide the Church in such a storm. 

Another change in Dr. Strong's ministry, which deserves a 
passing allusion, was the introduction for the first time of the 
simple reading of the Scriptures as a part of the public ser- 
vices of the Sabbath day. 

The Puritans, some of you need not be reminded, never 
allowed the Bible to be read, as we now read it in our 
churches, without note or comment. This they called "dumb 
reading," and would have none of it. Their objections were 
that it did not "give the sense," was likely to sink into a mere 
form, and savored too much of the hollow ceremonials, as they 
deemed them, of the Church of England and of the Papacy. 
Scripture was therefore never read before the people, unless 
it was fully expounded, verse by verse. This custom of the 
exposition of a chapter in the morning service was no doubt 
an essential part of the minister's duty in the early times. In 
later years it seems to have fallen out of use, and reading of 
Scripture was entirely omitted. 

In 1813 the large Bible (now open before us) was purchased 
by subscription for pulpit use ; and a note in the Church rec- 
ords of that year, by Dr. Alden, informs us that " Dr. Strong 
read from the new Bible once only — viz., 2 Pet. chap, i — and 
this was the commencement of reading the Bible as a part of 
public worship in this place." 

Rev. Thaddeus Pomeroy, the fourth pastor, was ordained 
November 22, 18 15. The services of ordination were as fol- 
lows : 

Introductory prayer, by Rev. Jonathan Curtis, of Epsom, 
N. H,; sermon, by Rev. Vincent Gould, of Southampton ; ordain- 
ing prayer, by Rev. Dr. Morse, of Charlestown ; charge to the 



One Hundred a?id Fiftieth Anniversary. 29 

pastor, by Rev. Holland Weeks, of Abington ; right hand of 
fellowship, by Rev. R. S. Storrs, of Braintree ; charge to the 
people, by Rev. Joshua Bates, of Dedham ; prayer, by Rev. 
Samuel Gile, of Milton. The religious papers of the day add 
to the above that " the exercises were peculiarly appropriate, 
and gave the highest satisfaction to a very numerous and 
attentive audience." 

Mr. Pomeroy remained but five years, and was dismissed 
April 26, 1820, thirty persons having been added to the 
Church. During this brief ministry events of importance 
transpired. December 15, 18 18, forty members of the Church, 
including its two deacons, William Linfield and Silas Paine, 
were dismissed to form the Second Church of Randolph, on 
the east side of the town (now Holbrook). The loss was very 
seriously felt, the membership being reduced to only seventy- 
eight. 

In the year following, the Baptist Church in this town was 
formed (November 3, 18 19). A few of the congregation with- 
drew to join in this new enterprise, although the largest por- 
tion of the new Church had been worshiping with the Baptist 
Church in East Stoughton. The sympathy extended to that 
new Society was by no means equal to what it should have 
been, nor to that with which we most heartily welcome its 
pastor, and so many of its members, to engage with us in the 
services of this occasion. The Church looked around upon its 
.thinned and weakened ranks with something of discouragement. 
A day of fasting and prayer was observed, in which Church 
and parish united. Rev. Mr. Perkins, of Weymouth Landing, 
preached in the moaning, Rev. Mr. Huntington, of North 
Bridgewater, in the afternoon. The Lord answered the hum- 
ble and united prayers. Signs of encouragement appeared. 
The afflicted but harmonious Church rose up and went for- 
ward in the strength of the Lord. 

It was during the ministry of Mr. Pomeroy that a young 
man joined the Church who has exerted greater influence for 
its welfare than any other layman of his generation. His 



30 First Congregational Church, Randolph. 

name was Ebenezer Alden. He came into the Church at a 
time when the Lord had a special need of him. I pause now 
only to speak of his first great work, the founding of the Sab- 
bath school. This institution, which has developed here and 
elsewhere into so great a power, was established on the first 
Sabbath in May, 1819. 

Mr. Pomeroy was dismissed on the 26th of April of the 
following year, and in a few months a unanimous call was ex- 
tended to Rev. Calvin Hitchcock to assume the pastorate of 
the Church. On the 28th of February, 1821, he was duly 
installed. The installation sermon was preached by Rev. 
Warren Fay, of Charlestown. It was afterwards printed, to- 
gether with the charge, by Rev. John Codman, of Dorches- 
ter, and the right hand of fellowship, by Rev David Brigham, 
of the Second Church, Randolph. 

The circumstances under which Dr. Hitchcock began his 
ministry were not especially flattering. But the Lord had not 
forgotten his people. He had sent them an "able minister of 
the New Testament." 

The most powerful revival of religion that has ever been 
enjoyed by this Church was that of 1823, two years after 
hands had been laid upon their new pastor. A few persons 
still live to tell us of the depth and thoroughness of that work 
of grace as it swept through this community. Seventy-eight 
persons made a profession of religion in a single year. 

Those who were then gathered in gave the Church a great 
increase of character for a generation, and its prosperity for 
the succeeding years was very marked. Other seasons of 
awakening were witnessed, especially in 1832 and 1842, when 
thirty and twenty-four additions were made. The Church 
grew and multiplied under the guiding hand of its able and 
devoted pastor. 

Dr. Hitchcock was spared to be the under-shepherd of the 
people for thirty years. Full of usefulness was his long min- 
istry. His preaching was thoroughly evangelical. He real- 
ized the overpowering importance of the truths of religion, 



One Hundred and Fiftieth Anniversary. 31 

and he earnestly desired his people should feel them too. His 
sermons were clear in statement, happy in the blending of the 
doctrinal and practical, and oftentimes were peculiarly im- 
pressive. He could fasten a truth upon the mind of his 
hearers so that a score of years should not dim the freshness 
of it. In expounding the Scriptures he was perhaps especially 
at home; and his Sabbath evening services, which partook of 
that nature, are still recalled with pleasure and profit by many 
among us. His prayers were peculiarly helpful and appro- 
priate. As a pastor he was full of humor and pleasantry, yet 
maintained careful watch over the souls of both old and 
young. He was faithful in pressing the neglected claims of 
the dying Saviour, jealous of his Master's honor, and delighted 
by nothing so much as the cry of the penitent, " God be mer- 
ciful to me a sinner." 

His early and earnest efforts in behalf of temperance should 
not be forgotten. He, with Dr. Alden, and others who still 
live among us, were early advocates of this great reformation. 

As a counselor his judicious advice was continually sought 
by surrounding churches ; and throughout the county, as 
among his own beloved people, his name was held in affection 
and honor till his death. At the age of sixty-four he volun- 
tarily retired from the ministry, and resided in Wrentham till, 
at the ripe age of eighty years, he was called to his reward. 

Five of Dr. Hitchcock's sermons were published ; and an 
historical discourse on the centennial anniversary of the or- 
ganization of the parish — though not given to the press — 
contains matters of much interest, portions of which have 
already been introduced into this address. 

Leaving the venerated name of Dr. Hitchcock, we are at 
once in well-known waters, and seem quite near home. So 
may we quicken sail. The sixth minister given to this Church 
was Rev. Christopher M. Cordley. He was born under the 
shadows of the classic towers of old Oxford, England. He 
came to this country, however, when a lad, and his alma mater 
was our own Western Reserve College. He was ordained in 



32 First Congregational Church, Randolph. 

Hopkinton, N. H., in 1849, and was installed in Randolph 
March 3, 1852. 

It was apparent that the Church needed a fresh infusion of 
youthful energy. Mr. Cordley brought new life, with vigor- 
ous and independent ways. He was a man of scholarly 
tastes, a diligent student of the New Testament in its original 
language, and was regarded by some of his seminary class- 
mates as the foremost man among his fellows for mental 
acuteness and originality. He entered upon his ministry 
here with zeal and devotion. After six years of earnest labor, 
the wisdom of his remaining longer was debated by some, 
and he soon left for other fields of usefulness. He died in 
Lawrence, Mass., while pastor of the Central Church, June 
26, 1866. Prof. Park preached the funeral sermon, and a 
biographical sketch was published from the pen of the late 
Dr. Blanchard, of Lowell. 

Still more brief was the next, and seventh, pastorate — that 
of Rev. Henry E. Dwight, who was ordained December 29, 
1859, and who remained but a little more than two years. 
His resignation took effect April i, 1862. Twenty-two per- 
sons were added to the Church while Mr. Dwight was in 
charge. During his work here the Thursday weekly prayer- 
meeting was changed from afternoon to evening. Previously 
there had been no week-day evening meetings except in the 
out-districts of the parish, or during seasons of religious inter- 
est. The present meeting-house was erected during the early 
part of Mr. Dwight's ministry. 

The eighth and present pastor was installed December 14, 
1865. Since that date fifteen years and a half have quickly 
flown. Many mercies have been brought us from the Lord, 
yet with unfeigned sorrow we humble ourselves in view of 
the lack of that abundant fruit it would be our delight, as it 
has surely been our duty, to gather for the Master. 

Peace and harmony have prevailed, the same old truths of 
the Everlasting Word have been held forth, and some seasons 
of refreshing have been experienced ; one, of special import- 



One Hundred and Fiftieth Anniversary. 33 

ance, in 1874, reached the hearts of many of our youth, and in 
that year there were thirty-one persons added to the Church, 

The entire number received to our fellowship during these 
fifteen years is ninety-seven, making a total of eight hundred 
and three members of the Church since its foundation. 

Something should be said regarding those important officers 
in the Christian Church, the deacons. As the Church has 
had only eight pastors, so has it set apart but seventeen 
deacons, or two for each minister, and one to spare. 

Of all the deceased who have held this honorable position 
Dr. Alden has left a record in a paper read before the Church 
in 1861. From this valuable series of sketches a few notes 
from the more prominent must suffice. 

Deacon Thomas Wales is the first upon the list. He was 
one of fifteen children born to Elder Nathaniel Wales, the 
last individual set apart as elder (in distinction from deacon) 
in the old First Church in Braintree (now Quincy). Deacon 
Thomas Wales was born in 1695, and, accordingly, when this 
Church was organized he was only thirty-six years of age, and 
for two years was its only deacon. "As his father, so he 
also had fifteen children. He died in 1775, aged eighty years. 
He was a substantial farmer, captain in the militia, a friend 
of law and order, and commanded universal respect. His 
home was south of the town, on the road leading from Main 
Street to Stoughton." 

Samuel Bass, second in the line of deacons, "was great- 
grandson of Samuel Bass, deacon in the First Church in Rox- 
bury, and in 1640 deacon of the original Braintree Church. 
He was also great-grandson of John Alden, the Plymouth Pil- 
grim. He was a man of sterling integrity, was much es- 
teemed, and is supposed to have been leader of the singing in 
the olden days," He was born in 1700, elected deacon in 
1733, and died in 1768, 

Peter Thayer was chosen to succeed Deacon Bass, " He 
was a man of ardent feelings and deep piety, earnest, enthusi- 
astic, sympathizing far more than his predecessors in office 



34 First Congregational Church, Randolph. 

with the 'new Hghts ' of that day" (that is, with revivals and 
the " new measures " to which they gave rise). " His wife," 
says the same writer from whom I have been quoting, " was 
Anna Porter, from Norton — calm, quiet, meditative, gentle, a 
matron of the olden time, plying the loom and the distaff, 
and guiding well her household — just such a wife as her hus- 
band needed." Deacon Thayer removed to Peterboro, N. H., 
in 1781. 

Coming down a little later, we find Samuel Allen, the sev- 
enth deacon. Deacon Allen married a daughter of Rev. 
Moses Taft, and a brother of his became a clergyman, and 
was settled in Bradford, Mass., at the time of the formation of 
the American Board in that place in 18 10. Deacon Allen is 
remembered by some now living. During the intermission on 
Sabbath day he was accustomed to read aloud, from his dea- 
con's seat, the works of John Flavel, while the people who 
had brought their luncheons with them sat around in different 
parts of the meeting-house, feeding body and soul at the same 
instant. The ancient and ample volume from which it is 
believed the good deacon used to edify the people is still pre- 
served in excellent condition. Deacon Allen was born in 
1760, was elected deacon in 1792, removed to Easton in 18 14, 
and died in 181 5. 

Deacons William Lijifield and Silas Paine were in suc- 
cession the officers from the east village. "Deacon Paine 
was son of Nathaniel, grandson of Benjamin — 'all good men 
and true.' He was distinguished for his sound sense and un- 
compromising orthodoxy." 

Deacon Elisha Mann was the ninth deacon — a firm and 
faithful servant of God, honoring the office he filled, and 
living to see nearly all of his eleven children walking in his 
footsteps. " He was a descendant in the fifth generation," 
says Dr. Alden, " from Richard Mann, planter, of Scituate. 
His residence was at the west corner. He married Abigail 
Whitcomb, daughter of Lieut. Jacob Whitcomb. She, with 
the wife of her brother-in-law, Mrs. Jane Mann, and her hus- 



One Htmdred and Fiftieth Anniversary. 35 

band's sister, Mrs. Sarah White, maintained for many years a 
weekly female prayer-meeting; thus, while keeping the fire 
of holy love burning brightly on the altar of their own 
hearts, they were also diffusing all around them a holy influ- 
ence which even at this day is not extinct." 

Since I came among this people, often have I heard the 
names of two deacons whose memory still lingers in many a 
heart as a precious and healthful inheritance of former days 
— the names of Asa Thayer and Wales Thayer; and with 
them is also associated Deacon Ephraim Wales. The Church 
was richly blessed by the prayers and services of these hum- 
ble and devout men of God. An illustrative incident of Dea- 
con Asa Thayer is given. In his neighborhood there lived a 
worthless, daring fellow (whether he had ever heard of John 
Knox and Queen Mary is not reported) who was accustomed 
to say, " I am afraid of nothing but Deacon Asa's prayers." 
Of the two last named, Dr. Alden printed a biographical 
sketch, which very justly sets forth their excellences of mind 
and heart. Speaking of them, in the paper before me, he 
says : " They were men of mind as well as piety, easily dis- 
criminating between sense and sound, an essay and a sermon, 
declamation and pulpit oratory, the truth as it is in Jesus and 
philosophy falsely so called." Both of these honored office- 
bearers were cut off within one six months, and deep was the 
affliction of the Church in parting with deacons who had such 
honor among men and so much faith in God. 

Succeeding these beloved brethren came two with whom 
we have all been well acquainted — Deacons Ephraim Belcher 
and Adoniram Judson Mann. The former has this year fin- 
ished his earthly course with joy. He died in a good old age, 
after a life of great activity, but never ceasing to feel a lively 
interest in the spiritual welfare of the Church, and ever long- 
ing and praying for the conversion of the young, for whom he 
always seemed especially concerned. His companion in office. 
Deacon A. J. Mann, still survives, the oldest living member of 



36 First Congregational Church, Randolph. 

our Church who has held office; himself the son of Deacon 
Elisha Mann, already mentioned. 

The list is completed by the addition of the names of Dea- 
con Oliver H. Leach (recently retired) and Deacon Joseph 
Graham, both elected in 1865, and Deacon Royal T. Mami, 
chosen in 1878. 

But eight ministers and seventeen deacons do not comprise 
all of the garrison of the Lord's host in this place for a cent- 
ury and a half. However faithfully these may have done their 
part, a bright, and possibly a brighter, record may be given to 
some in less conspicuous positions. Other hearts may have 
been filled with equal zeal and faith and self-denial, other ex- 
amples as worthy of mention. Many of them will never be 
remembered for their true worth — humble, lowly m.en and 
women, who lived nobly but died obscurely. As silver dollars 
cast into the molten furnace are wholly lost to sight, and yet 
are said to add a peculiar richness to the tone of the bell that 
is casting, and which for generations may fill the air with mel- 
ody, so has many a precious character contributed unseen 
strength and beauty to the influences which are to-day refin- 
ing the hearts of this people. 

In the matter of benevolent gifts, for example, it is a pleas- 
ant recollection that in the first list of churches that contrib- 
uted as such to the American Board, this Church is found 
credited with $58.56; yet is it not more interesting to learn 
that the first money contributed to the monthly concert col- 
lections was a sixpence brought to Dr. Alden by the hand of 
a poor woman .■• 

Even in the field of direct religious effort and influence, can 
human eye always detect the most efficient agency } If we 
think of men, the Lord may especially trace results to the 
faithful mothers in Israel. We may honor ministers; He 
may have even more regard to humble laymen. Our praise 
may be upon the preaching, while God is blessing the praying 
ones. 

The records of this Church have many a page devoted to 



0)16 Hundred and Fiftieth Anniversary. 37 

councils, fast-days, Church-meetings, etc., but they say noth- 
ing of that weekly female prayer-meeting long held at the 
West Corner. All have gone home who were prominent in 
that little circle ; but the records of the Church above alone 
preserve the measure of holy influence exerted by that cluster 
of saintly women upon the hearts of mothers who still love to 
meet and pray, or upon the female piety of the Church for 
years to come. We hear of faithful ministers, great sermons, 
and powerful revivals ; yet one of the principal revivals in Dr. 
Strong's day {that in 18 12), Dr. Alden somewhere informs us, 
"had its origin, apparently, in the faithfulness of a teacher in 
a female school." Who has not known of Dr. Strong^ as a 
man of great gifts and piety .-• but how many have heard of 
this humble school-teacher who sowed such seed among us 1 

True to the old Puritan instinct, this Church has always 
encouraged her youth to seek a good education. This parish, 
as you will hear this evening more particularly, managed the 
schools of the precinct for over sixty years. At a later period 
an academy was established (March 25, 1833). Dr. Hitch- 
cock was president of the board of trustees. Baptist fami- 
lies united heartily with our own in its support. The religious 
no less than the literary influence of the old Randolph Acad- 
emy was. most beneficial upon our youth during the several 
years of its flourishing existence. Those gala-days when the 
annual exhibitions were held in the old meeting-house, and 
young men in all the glow of graduation day came here to 
" speak their pieces," proved how closely the Church and 
school are united in the hearts of an intelligent Christian 
community. It was a great loss to the best interests of our 
young people when Randolph Academy was suffered to de- 
cline, and the presence of such teachers as Rev, Isaac Weth- 
erell, Rev. L. F. Clark, Rev. G. R Smith, Rev. Dr. Daniel W. 
Poor, and Rev. Dr. Gulliver was no longer felt among us. 

We have considered the ministers and officers who have 
been standard-bearers, and others who have been faithful sol- 
diers in this army of the Lord. But the work of a Church is 



38 First Congregational Church, Randolph. 

not measured by what it has done at home. Are there none 
who, having enlisted here, have been taught and trained, and 
then sent to other portions of the wide field? This Church 
has called to its aid from other towns eight ministers. How has 
it, meanwhile, paid back this debt .? In answer to this inquiry 
we are enabled to say that, in return for the eight received, it 
has raised up at least twenty-one ministers of the gospel. 
Their names should find a place in such a record as this. 
They are as follows : 

Samuel Eaton, son of Rev. Elisha Eaton, born in this place 
in 1737. He was graduated at Harvard College, 1763, and 
settled in Harpswell, Me., and was one of the most influential 
clergymen of a wide section of that State. His biography is 
written in Sprague's .^;z;^«/j of the Americaji Pulpit ; died in 
1822. 

Micaiah Porter, son of Benjamin and Mary (Dorman) ; 
born, 1745; admitted to Church, 1767, age 22; graduated, 
1775 ; ordained at Voluntown, Ct. ; remained there, 1781-1800; 
installed at Plainfield, N. H., 1805, July i6th ; died, Septem- 
ber 4, 1829, aged 84. 

Rev. Jonathan Allen, son of Isaac and Deborah Allen, 
brother of Deacon Samuel Allen; born, 1751; admitted to 
church, 1767, age 16; graduated at Harvard, 1774; ordained, 
June 5, 1781, at Bradford; died, March 6, 1827. His only 
daughter, Eliza, became the first wife of Thomas A. Merrill, 
D.D., of Middlebury, Vt., a distinguished minister, who in 
college life bore off the class honors from Daniel Webster in 
Dartmouth College, and who in later years was the father of 
the Vermont ministry. 

Jabez Thayer, son of Deacon Peter Thayer; born, 1749; 
admitted to Church, 1776, age 27; graduated at Brown Uni- 
versity, 1776; studied divinity, but died in 1779, April lOth, 
aged 30 years, and was never settled. 

Eleazar Taft, son of Rev. Moses Taft and his wife Mary 
(Dorr); born, 1755, October nth; graduated at Harvard Col- 
lege, 1783; studied with Dr. Emmons, of Franklin; preached 



One . Hundred and Fiftieth Anniversary. 39 

at Langdon, N. H. ; was never ordained ; became a teacher, 
and died at Exeter, N. H., June 4, 1834. 

Phinehas Taft, son also of Rev. Moses Taft ; born, 1762; 
graduated at Harvard College, 1789; admitted to Church, 
1791, age 29; studied divinity w^ith Dr. Jonathan Strong. 
Was a young man of great promise, but died early (1798, 
February), never having been settled. 

'yokn Turner, son of Colonel Seth and Rebecca (Vinton) 
Turner; born, November 4, 1769; admitted to Church, 1789, 
age 20; graduated at Brown University, 1788; settled in 
Biddeford, Me.; died, October 2, 1839. 

yoshua Bradley, son of Hopestill Bradley; born, 1771 ; 
was fitted for college under Dr. Strong; graduated at Brown 
University, 1799. He became pastor of the Baptist Church in 
Newport, R. I., and died at St. Paul, Minn., November 22, 1855, 
aged 84. From a notice of Mr. Bradley, copied into the New 
York Observer from the Christian Secretary, and preserved by 
Dr. Alden, we learn that " within the course of a long ministry 
he devoted much attention to religious popular education, and 
traveled through seventeen States and some of the Territories, 
laboring in this his chosen work. Seventeen schools and 
academies, of some importance, owe their existence directly 
or indirectly to his efforts. Many indigent young men were 
helped to an education and preparation for the ministry by 
him, and everywhere he went the gospel was preached faith- 
fully and earnestly. He has been superintendent of public 
instruction in Minnesota and pastor of the Baptist Church in 
St. Paul. Some sixty-five years he labored for the best good 
of his fellow-men, and the amount of good accomplished is 
untold." He was long known as " Father Bradley." Few 
men, it is believed, have struggled more successfully with 
adverse circumstances, or better accomplished the great work 
of life. 

yabez Porter, son of Joshua, Jr., and Rachel (Thayer) Por- 
ter; born, 1792; admitted to Church, 1812, at the age of 20; 



40 First Congregational Church, Randolph. 

graduated at Brown University, 1818; died at Quincy, III, 
1830. 

Rev. Levi White, son of Captain John W. and Ruth 
(Thayer) White; born, March 4, 1771; admitted to the 
Church, 1 791, at the age of 20 ; graduated at Dartmouth, 1796 ; 
settled in Sandisfield ; died in 1836. 

Rev. Jo7iatha7i Curtis, son of Jonathan and Eunice (Thay- 
er), and grandson of Moses C, one of the original members 
of the Church. He was born October 22, 1786; graduated 
at Dartmouth College, 181 1. While obtaining an education 
he sustained himself almost entirely by his own efforts. " His 
mother," says Dr. Alden, " encouraged his plans with Chris- 
tian sympathy and faith, and said, in substance if not in the 
precise words of the mother of Increase Mather, 'Child, if 
God make thee a good Christian and a good scholar, thou hast 
all thy mother ever asked for thee.' " Was tutor in Dart- 
mouth College, 1 8 14-15. He was ordained in Epsom, N. H., 
February 22, 181 5 ; remained there till 1825; settled in Sha- 
ron, 1825-1834; Pittsfield, N. H., 1 834-1 845 ; also in Wood- 
stock, Ct. ; died, January 27, 1861. 

Samuel White, son of Solomon and Rhoda (Braman) White ; 
born, October 12, 1791 ; admitted to the Church at age of 13 ; 
graduated at Dartmouth College, 18 12; ordained at William- 
son, N.Y., February 24, 1818; pastor of Presbyterian churches 
in the State of New York; died, June 9, 1864. 

Elipha White, son of Caleb White; born, 1795 ; admitted 
to Church at the age of 18; graduated at Brown University, 
1817; pastor at John's Island, S. C. ; ordained, January 3, 
1821 ; died, November 20, 1849. 

Rev. Charles White, D.D., younger brother of Samuel ; 
born, 1795; graduated at Dartmouth College, 1821; ordained 
at Thetford, Vt, January 5, 1825, as colleague with his step- 
father, Rev. Dr. Burton ; President of Wabash College for 
twenty years; died, October 29, 1861. 

Rev. Willard Pierce ; born, 1790 ; admitted to Church, 1812 ; 
did not graduate ; was settled in Foxboro, and in North 



One Hundred and Fiftieth Anniversary. 41 

Abington ; a volume of his sermons was published in 1854; 
died, March 26, i860. 

yosiah L. Arms, son of Josiah L. and Mary (Trask) Arms ; 
admitted to Church, 1832, at the age of 21 ; not a graduate; or- 
dained at South Plymouth, 1847; preached in Woodstock, Ct. 

Henry T. Lotkrop, son of Barnabas and Clara (Holbrook) 
Lothrop ; born, March 6, 1823; admitted to Church, 1836, at 
the age of 13; graduated at Amherst College, 1844; settled 
at Palmyra, Wis., 1850. 

Robert S. Hitchcock, son of Rev. Dr. Hitchcock ; graduated 
at Amherst College, 1837; was pastor at East Boston, at New 
Bedford, and at Baltimore, Md. 

Ebenezer Alde?i, yr., son of Dr. Ebenezer Alden ; admitted 
to Church in Amherst College in 1836, at the age of 16; 
united by letter with Church at Randolph in 1839; graduated 
at Amherst College, 1839; ordained at Denmark, Iowa, in 
1843; was one of the "Iowa Band;" afterward settled in 
Marshfield in 1850. 

Asa Mann, son of Deacon Elisha and Abigail (Whitcomb) 
Mann; born, 1816; admitted to Church, 1832, at the age of 
16; graduated at Amherst College, 1838; at Andover, 1842; 
ordained at Hardwick, June 19, 1844. 

Edmund K. Alden, son of Dr. Ebenezer Alden ; admitted 
to Church, 1836, at the age of 1 1 ; graduated at Amherst Col- 
lege, 1844; ordained, January 2, 1850, at Yarmouth, Me.; 
settled in Lenox, 1854; at South Boston, 1 859-1 876; now 
Secretary of the American Board. 

Six of the twenty-one persons whose names are thus re- 
corded were not actually members of this Church, but were 
directly connected with the congregation, and received their 
earliest impressions under the care of this Church. 

In addition to those who have chosen the ministry as their 
profession, the following persons have received a liberal edu- 
cation : 

Epkraim Wales, M.D., son of Deacon Thomas Wales (by 



42 First Congregational Church, Randolph. 

his second wife, widow Sarah Belcher); born, May 9, 1746; 
graduated at Harvard College, 1768; died, 1805. 

Moses Taft, yr., M.D., son of Rev. Moses Taft ; born, June 
10, 1854; graduated at Harvard, 1774; resided in Sudbury; 
died, 1799, July 22. 

Samuel Bass, son of Jonathan and Susanna (Belcher) Bass ; 
born, 1757; graduated at Harvard, 1782; died, 1842. 

Joseph Taft, M.D., son of Rev. Moses Taft ; born August 
I5> 1757; graduated at Harvard, 1783; resided in Sudbury; 
died in Randolph, 1824, January. 

Benjamin Turner, M.D., son of Colonel Seth and Rebecca 
(Vinton) Turner; born September 22, 1764; graduated at 
Harvard, 1791 ; resided in Milton ; died, 1831. 

Thomas Beale Wales, son of preceding; graduated at Har- 
vard College, 1795 ; died, 1853 ; a merchant in Boston. 

Jonathan Bass, son of Samuel and Sarah (Lawrence) Bass; 
born, 1784; graduated at Harvard, 1804. 

Ebenezer Alden, M.D., son of Dr. Ebenezer Alden ; born, 
March 17, 1788; graduated at Harvard, 1808; died, January 
26, 1881. 

Henry B. Alden, brother of preceding; born, 1791, June 
7th; graduated at Harvard, 1812 ; died, 185 1, June 24th. 

Royal Turner, Col, son of Seth and Abigail (Wales) Tur- 
ner; born, 1792; graduated at Harvard, 18 13; died, Decem- 
ber 31, 1862. 

George O. Strong, son of Dr. Jonathan Strong and Joanna 
(Odiorne) Strong; born, November 6, 1791 ; graduated at 
Brown University, 18 14. 

Bradford L. Wales, M.D., son of Dr. Jonathan and Fanny 
(Cobb) Wales; born May i, 1804; graduated at Middlebury 
College, 1824. 

Bejijamin Mann, M.D., son of John and Jane (Tucker) 
Mann; born, 1814; graduated at Amherst College, 1837. 

Jonathan Mann, M.D., brother of preceding; born, 18 16; 
entered Amherst College, but was prevented from graduating 
by ill health. 



One Hundred and Fiftieth Anniversary. 43 

Horatio B. Alden, son of Horatio B. and Mary (Belcher) 
Alden; graduated at Yale College, 1842. 

yokfi King, Esq., son of John and Sarah W. (Turner) King ; 
graduated at Harvard College, 1839. 

Thomas B. Wales, M.D., son of Dr. Ephraim Wales ; grad- 
uated at Middlebury College, 1844. 

Joseph G. S. Hitchcock, M.D., son of Dr. Calvin Hitch- 
cock; graduated at Middlebury College, 1844. 

Jonathan Wales, Esq., son of Jonathan and Augusta (Be- 
mis) Wales; graduated at Yale College, 1871. 

George W. Dickerman, son of Benjamin and Mary (Johnson) 
Dickerman ; to graduate at Harvard College, 1882. 

To these may be added a list (incomplete, it is feared) of 
those who have acquired a thorough professional, though not 
collegiate, education : 

Augustine A. Mann, M.D., son of Alvan and Emeline R. 
(Mitchell) Mann ; graduated at Jefferson Medical College, 
i860. 

yohn V. Beal, Esq., son of Eleazar and Mary (Thayer) 
Beal; graduated at Harvard Law School, 1872. 

Henry W. Bradford, M.D., son of Charles and Abigail 
(Beal) Bradford; graduated at Harvard Medical School, 1875. 

yohn Alden, Chemist, son of Adoniram and Mary E. (Went- 
worth) Alden ; graduated at Boston Institute of Technology, 

1877. 

A roll of twenty-four educated men is here given, in addi- 
tion to the twenty-one ministers — forty-five of all professions. 

These records of personal worth and religious effort are 
among the most valuable a Church can preserve. He who 
has done more than all others to furnish these facts and rem- 
iniscences is no longer with us ; but he has shown throughout 
his long life how high an estimate he placed on the godly 
example of the fathers and mothers. He was especially care- 
ful of the aged. He gathered up their humble stories of 
faith and prayer, as he would morsels of gold. Not dearer to 
the heart of Walter Scott were the fragments of old Scottish 



44 First Congregational Church, Randolph. 

traditions. He wrote and printed brief memoirs of some of 
the prominent officers and members. A tender and glowing 
tribute is that which his pen has left to the character of 
Samuel Whitcomb, with whom he labored so long and hap- 
pily in revivals and in neighborhood meetings. Other sketches 
are preserved, those of Deacon Ephraim Wales and Deacon 
Wales Thayer being especially valuable. For fifty-six years 
he was the thoughtful, methodical clerk of the Church, and 
knew more of our history, exactly and fully, than perhaps all 
others. In a series of historical papers on the early years of 
Church, parish, and town, he has given us the chief outlines 
of all future narratives. The circumstances and tastes of Dr. 
Alden were, indeed, particularly fortunate for such a service as 
he has rendered. Dying this year, at the great age of nearly 
ninety-three, his one life carries us back to a time when the 
Church was but fifty-seven years old, and he, as a bright lad 
of six years, may have attended the funeral of the last one 
of the ten original members of the Church. 

But Dr. Alden was not only more careful than most men to 
preserve history: he did more than many to make history — 
history which will be written by other pens than his, both on 
earth and in heaven. He founded the Sabbath school, at a 
time when there were few who had faith and courage to take 
such a step. For thirty-nine years he was its honored superin- 
tendent, and for many years after a teacher, most useful and 
beloved. To the truth of the gospel he was ever loyal, and 
was wise and helpful in its exposition. He loved the house 
of God, the conference, and neighborhood meetings. The 
preparatory lecture and the sacramental table he welcomed 
with deep and unfeigned satisfaction. As the family was to 
him a sacred institution, so it was his constant effort to make 
it so to others ; and the family altar was the most sacred of all 
family blessings. To the sick he came with healing in his 
hand and comfort in his heart ; to the aged he was full of 
sympathy ; to the young he gave counsel and wisdom. He 



One Hundred and Fiftieth Anniversary. 45 

was first a child of the Church, then and long an active mem- 
ber, and then its venerated father. 

With the death of this patriarch of the Church, this review 
of thrice fifty years must close. A sketch of the parish his- 
tory will be given us this evening. It is appropriate, however, 
at this time, that the most cordial acknowledgment be made 
of the good work of the parish during these many years. The 
two organizations have labored side by side with utmost har- 
mony and courtesy. The ability, liberality, and promptness 
with which the business of our Society has been conducted 
are thoroughly appreciated by the Church and pastor. All 
.are happy to bear witness that the parish deserves the name 
it has received from those who know it best — " The model 
parish." 

To whatever degree your patience has been taxed by this 
prolonged address, for myself I feel that the text has but just 
been pronounced, while the sermon remains all unspoken — a 
long text, indeed, yet would it be a poor one .-* From this 
humble verse in the grand chapter of New England Church 
history, what a series of impressive sermons may not the 
Spirit of God preach to us ! One such discourse, I should 
think, would be entitled The Advantages of a Pious and Intel- 
ligent Ancestry. However great a privilege it may have been 
to Paul to build on no other man's foundation, it is no privi- 
lege to find one's home in a community where the corner- 
stone has not already been laid by men possessing a living 
faith in God's Word. It is a blessing to have a history — a 
decidedly Christian history — behind us. The foundations of 
this Church and town were set very modestly, but they were 
" built upon a rock." A century and a half has passed over 
them, yet they stand sure, and to-day need no resetting. 

Has not the Spirit of the Lord something to say to us con- 
cerning the priceless worth of a Christian Church to all the 
highest interests of a village.-' Is there any such interest over 
which this Church has not watched with jealous care.-* Take 



46 First Congregational CJiurch, Randolph. 

away from this people, if it were possible, all the good that 
has been secured, all the saving influences exerted, by this 
Church, and is it in the power of the mind to estimate the 
ignorance, the darkness, the immorality, and wretchedness 
into which we should instantly be plunged ? The record 
proves that this Church has been a true friend of all that is 
really worthy and sacred to human welfare. It has freely 
opened the Bible, it hallows the Sabbath day, it cares for the 
young, it cherishes the free school and the college. 

What a thanksgiving sennoji the providence of God in our 
history is preaching to us ! We rejoice that there have been 
no sad records of dissensions, divisions, and apostasy from the. 
faith ; that in perilous times the ship has weathered every 
storm, while many a one has been shattered or lost; that 
the ministers of this Church, varying widely in gifts and 
graces, have all been faithful to the grand truths of Christ's 
gospel. Our faith is still the faith of the Puritans. It is 
a true offshoot of the living vine which grew hard by 
Plymouth Rock. It has been tested, and we see to-day what 
sort of influences it creates. We stand by the faith of our 
fathers. There is nothing like it for the building up of vil- 
lages and towns and States, for the sterling worth of human 
character, and for the kindling of the soul with highest aims. 
But we remember that in many things there has been true 
progress. Slavery once existed upon this soil, to a very lim- 
ited extent and in the mildest form, indeed ; yet, though our 
fathers tolerated slavery for a time, they also abolished it fifty 
years before England followed their example. So has there 
been progress in temperance, in education, in refinement of 
manners, in general knowledge, in charity. 

We surely may find material for a sermon of stirring power 
to teach us that we are not standing to-day at the close of 
a completed work, well begun long years ago, so that our 
only duty now is grateful admiration. We have, indeed, 
reached the end of a period, but not the end of responsibility. 
We are in the midst of the battle yet. Not to put off, but to 



Otte Hundred and Fiftieth Anniversary. 47 

gird on the armor anew, are we here to-day ; to do our work 
as well as the founders of this Church did theirs ; to serve 
God amid our privileges as humbly and zealously as did they 
in their poverty ; to make religion the chief aim of our lives ; 
to live for God and our fellow-men, and ask no man to 
praise us. 

Rev. John Hancock, in his Century Sermon, in the year 
1739, said: "It should be our great care to stand fast in the 
liberty of our fathers, and remember their great errand into 
this wilderness, which was the advancement of the glory of 
God and their own spiritual interest. Let us pursue this glo- 
rious design, and build on their foundation." To such a noble 
purpose let us consecrate ourselves anew. 

Note. — A few paragraphs of the discourse were omitted in the reading, and 
a few items have since been added. 



48 First Congregational Church, Randolph. 



Roll of the Pastors of the Church. 



Elisha Eaton. Ordained, June 13, 1731. Dismissed, June 

7, 1750. 
Moses Taft. Ordained, August 26, 1752. Died in office, 

November 12, 179 1. 

Jonathan Strong. Ordained, January 28, 1789. Died in 
office, November 9, 18 14. 

Thaddeus Pomeroy. Installed, November 22, 181 5. Dis- 
missed, April 26, 1820. 

Calvin Hitchcock. Installed, February 28, 1821. Dis- 
missed, June 9, 185 1. 

Christopher M. Cordley. Installed, March 3, 1852. Dis- 
missed, October 14, 1858, 

Henry E. Dwight. Ordained, December 29, 1859. ^^S" 
missed, April i, 1862. 

John C. Labaree. Installed, Dec. 14, 1865. 



One Hundred and Fiftieth Anniversary. 



49 



Roll of the Deacons of the Church. 



Thomas Wales . . . . 


Elected, 


1731- 


Died, 


1775- 


Samuel Bass 




1733- 


Died, 


1768. 


Peter Thayer . . . . 




1768. 


Resigned, 


1781. 


Jonathan Wild . . . 




1768. 


Died, 


1794. 


Nathaniel Wales . . 




1782. 


Died, 


1788. 


William Linfield, 3d 




1782. 


Resigned, 


1818. 


Samuel Allen . . . 




1788. 


Resigned, 


1 8 14. 


Silas Paine .... 




1814. 


Resigned, 


1818. 


Elisha Mann .... 




1819. 


Resigned, 


1841. 


Asa Thayer .... 




1819. 


Resigned, 


1841. 


Ephraim Wales . . . 


(< 


1841. 


Died, 


1855- 


Wales Thayer . . . 




1841. 


Resigned, 


1855. 


Ephraim Belcher . . 


" 


1855- 


Resigned, 


1865. 


Adoniram J. Mann. . 




1855- 


Resigned, 


1865. 


Oliver H. Leach . . 




1865. 


Resigned, 


1878. 


Joseph Graham . . . 


(( 


1865. 






Royal T. Mann . . . 


(( 


1878. 







i^t^torp of tl)c ^abbatti ^cl)oo{. 

BY REV. EBENEZER ALDEN. 



The history of this school is nearly parallel with the exist- 
ence of the modern Sabbath school system in our American 
churches. Its origin was a part of a general movement, and 
its changes in methods of instruction, style of singing, the 
literary character of its library, and its accessories, such as 
meetings of teachers and concerts, have borne the impress of 
the general progress of the institution. The early part of 
this century was an era of revivals, and the dawn of missions, 
home and foreign. This spiritual quickening of the churches 
was a condition favorable to a renewed interest in the study 
of the Bible, and to the instruction of the young in divine 
truth, which took the form of the Sabbath school. 

The preliminary step toward the organization of this school 
was taken in the year 1818, when Rev. Thaddeus Pomeroy, 
then pastor of this Church, having received from " The Bos- 
ton Society for the Moral and Religious Instruction of the 
Poor " * a circular, " setting forth the advantages of Sabbath 
schools, and recommending their introduction into all our 
parishes," placed it " in the hands of him who was afterward 
elected superintendent." Other brethren were consulted, the 
subject was brought before the Church at a regular meeting, 
and "subsequently a written statement of the design and 
plan of the proposed school, and of the method of conducting 
it, was, by request of the Church, submitted for considera- 

*Now bearing the name of "The City Missionary Society." 



One Hundred and Fiftieth Anniversary. 5 1 

tion, which, after much discussion, and some misgivings on 
the part of the elderly members, was unanimously adopted." 

"In February, 1819, the Church elected a superintendent 
and committee of supervision, who immediately entered upon 
their work of preparation by visiting families and individuals, 
endeavoring to remove prejudices and prepare the way for 
opening the school as soon as the season would admit of it. 
On the evening of April 26, 18 19, the teachers held their 
first meeting to make necessary arrangements and to look to 
God for His blessing. On a beautiful spring morning, the 
first Sabbath in May, 18 19, at the ringing of the first bell for 
public worship, there might have been seen coming up to the 
sanctuary from every quarter a goodly number of children, 
youth, and older persons, each with a Bible, hymn-book, or 
catechism, and each on their arrival reverently entering the 
house of God and taking seats that were assigned them. As 
the bell ceased to ring, at a signal given, in a few earnest 
words the object of the gathering was explained to be the 
social study of God's Word, with a view of learning his will 
and securing his blessing. The divine benediction was then 

invoked upon the enterprise by an aged disciple 

There were present at that first meeting ninety scholars and 
fourteen teachers, and during the season one hundred and 
nineteen scholars and twenty teachers. Each teacher was 
introduced to his class. Portions of Scripture, hymns, and 
answers from the catechism were repeated by the scholars 
and explained by the teachers. At the close of the session a 
short address was made to those present on the value of the 
Bible, especially to the young, and the services were con- 
cluded by singing to God's praise three verses of Dr. Watts's 
version of the 119th Psalm, 4th part: ' How shall the young 
secure their hearts .>' ' " 

These extracts from the address of the first superintendent 
on the fiftieth anniversary give a vivid description of the 
school substantially for its first six years while it occupied 
the church, with square pews well fitted for its purposes, each 



52 First Congregational Church, Randolph. 

teacher sitting in a chair in the middle of the pew, with his 
class around him. That old church was never heated by a 
fire. The intermission was only for an hour, and conse- 
quently the school occupied the hour before morning service, 
and was suspended during the winter. 

In those days the verbal memory was cultivated much more 
than now, and the record at the close of the second quarter 
of 1819 shows to what an extent this was carried: "The 
average attendance of scholars for that quarter was ninety- 
nine. Verses of the Bible repeated, 31,693; verses of hymns 
repeated, 25,593; answers from catechisms, 34,102; answers 
to McDowell's Questions, 3,434; total, 94,822 — nearly one 
thousand to each individual, during twenty-five Sabbaths of 
attendance ; " on an average, toward forty verses or answers 
committed to memory every week for six months. 

After the meeting-house was built, in 1825, stoves were 
introduced, the intermission was lengthened, and the school 
changed its hour of meeting to noon, and continued through 
the year. 

Among the names of those who cordially enlisted in the 
formation of the school are those of Deacon Elisha Mann and 
Deacon Asa Thayer, and brethren John Mann and Barnabas 
Lothrop. One of the first scholars was Wales Thayer, after- 
wards deacon of this Church, then a boy of fourteen, a subject 
of the revival of 1823, and a member of the school, as pupil 
or teacher, till laid aside by his last sickness. 

"Forty years, including 1818, the year of preparation, the 
first superintendent served the school in that capacity accord- 
ing to his best ability, never absent except when detained by 
circumstances beyond his control ; and then," to use his own 
words, " retiring reluctantly, not from weariness, nor from 
lack of interest," " but because to all things there is a time 
and a season." Until prevented by the infirmities of age, his 
presence as a teacher continued to exhibit this interest, which 
was gratefully reciprocated by the school, in addition to other 



One Hundred and Fiftieth Anniversary. 53 

remembrances, by retaining his name on the list of teachers 
after the active years of his life had closed. 

Very few remain who were members of the school while 
held in the meeting-house of Dr. Strong, but the memory 
of quite a number of us recurs to the years when its ses- 
sions were held in the house in which Dr. Hitchcock so 
long ministered. Again we enter the vestry, and carefully 
descend the inclined plane to our seats in the room used by 
the town for its meetings, and, some seasons, during the week 
for a select school. The hum of the voices reaches our ears, 
and the forms of those who, then children, but now the older 
members of this community, and of others who have passed 
on to another life, rise before us. We also recall the appear- 
ance of the school when it occupied the sanctuary itself. 
Those who are now its members have it associated with this 
beautiful house of worship, superior in its appointments to the 
buildings which have stood upon this site before. This school has 
been highly favored, not only in its membership from natives 
of the place, but also in the aid it has received from those who 
were here for a time as teachers in the various schools of the 
higher grade. As a rule, while here they identified themselves 
with this people, and accomplished much good by the religious 
instruction which they imparted on the Sabbath, as well as by 
the faithful use of their abilities in teaching through the week. 
The names of several, now more widely known, are readily 
recalled, whose youthful energies were here employed for 
Christ. Doubtless they, as well as we who were born here, 
have derived an influence and received a training in this 
school which have been of great service in subsequent years; 
for the teacher himself is a learner, while the scholar, uncon- 
sciously, is a teacher. 

The Sabbath evening lectures of Dr. Hitchcock, the pastor, 
are among the reminiscences of the school. Though not ac- 
customed to be present at its regular sessions, he contributed 
largely to its success by preparing himself on the lesson of 
the subsequent Sabbath, and through the freshness of his 



54 First Congregational Church, Randolph. 

unwritten exposition awakening an enthusiasm in those who 
heard him. 

Coming down to a later period, we find a succession of 
superintendents, several of whom have removed from the 
place. The following is the list of the superintendents and 
of their terms of service : 

Ebenezer Alden, M. D., May i, 1819-March 25, 1858 

Abel B. Berry, Esq March, 185 8-1 859, 

N. C. Berry, Esq March, 1 859-1 861 

J. F. Colby, Esq March, 1 861-1864 

Ebenezer Moulton March, 1 864-1 874 

Joseph B. Lord . . . . . . March, 1 874-1 875 

George H. Wilkins . . . . . March, 1875- 

The inquiry becomes both natural and vastly important 
whether the school has kept pace with the changes in the 
times and in the community. The present generation of 
Christians finds the number and character of the population, 
the relative position of the Church, and the field to be occu- 
pied by the school, quite different from the condition of things 
here sixty, or even forty years ago. The Sabbath school also, 
as an institution, fills a larger place as an instrumentality, and 
employs different methods from the order of things in the 
earlier days. Verbal memory is not now so much cultivated. 
Doctrinal knowledge may not be imparted with such fullness 
and preciseness as when the Assembly s Catechism was an 
essential requisite to a well-conducted school ; but we have 
helps to the study of the Bible in an abundance and wealth of 
learning which would have astonished our fathers as much as 
some of their methods would have seemed strange to us. 
Never, perhaps, were there at the command of Christians, and 
of all, young and old, such facilities for studying the Bible as 
we today possess. Never, perhaps, was the Bible more stud- 
ied and prized. At no former period did more interest center 
around the life and mission of our Lord and Saviour Jesus 
Christ. The International Lesson System has done much to 



Otie Hundred and Fiftieth Anniversary. 55 

give an impulse to this increased interest in the revealed 
Word. As v^e trace this school down into its later history, its 
record shows that, though pastors, superintendents, and mem- 
bership have changed and the conditions of its success have 
varied from the former order, it has advanced in numbers, in 
benevolence, and in influence, and that its methods have been 
wisely adapted to the changes of the times, and have partaken 
of the general spirit of progress in the Sabbath school work 
abroad. 

Look at the school in its membership. When it left the 
old Church — that of Dr. Strong — it numbered 70. In 1833, 
just after the revival of religion of 1831, which blessed this 
community in common with the churches generally, its num- 
bers had risen to 144. Passing down to another point, 1857, 
which nearly marks the close of the connection with it of its 
first superintendent, and of its occupation of the former 
house of worship, it had advanced in numbers to 173. Then 
tracing it down through the twenty-one years it has been 
under this roof, in the decade from i860 to 1870 its numbers 
for a few years were somewhat diminished, though in 1868 
there appears to have been a noticeable increase, the number 
for that year being recorded as 253. During the last ten 
years the school has uniformly numbered about 200. The 
last report gives the present number of the school to be 220. 
The average attendance for the year ending May 8th was 
141 ; the largest attendance at any one session, 185. What 
is cheering and hopeful, is, that during the year 40 names 
were added to the roll. 

Taking now the record of contributions to objects of be- 
nevolence — a most important feature, not so much on account 
of the amount as for the training received, which will affect 
the future habits of the children — reviewing the few past 
years (the only figures at hand), the yearly amount has gone 
up from ^30.32 in 1874 to $94.62 the last year. 

Among the methods employed to increase the interest of 
the members in the school, and to secure for it a larger place 



56 First Congregational Churchy Randolph. 

in the hearts of the congregation, in addition to the teachers' 
meeting, regularly sustained for the last fifteen years, is the 
observance of the concert, and, what is new in this school, 
the practice which has grown up since 1867 of celebrating 
the anniversary of its organization. Once a month a pleasant 
diversity is made in the style of the evening service, and 
children and parents, the school and those not connected with 
it, are brought together in a manner which affords an oppor- 
tunity to benefit some who are not ordinarily found in the 
place of prayer; while once a year the school is made prom- 
inent as one of the important aids now used by the Church 
in advancing the kingdom of Christ. No Church can expect 
to maintain its hold upon the world in these days, when the 
public mind is poisoned by unbelief and distracted by world- 
liness, which fails to adapt its measures to the changing order 
of things. The Sabbath school in its normal state is one of 
the instrumentalities under the direct control of the Church. 
It is doing the same work and in the same line with the 
preaching of the gospel and the social meeting for prayer. 
Its ultimate purpose is the salvation of souls. Hence it is 
encouraging to notice that this school has been the nursery 
of this Church. In the revivals of 1823 and of 1831, and in 
periods of religious interest at later times, a good propor- 
tion of the converts have been from the Sabbath school. At 
these harvest seasons have been made apparent the results of 
patient sowing and careful cultivation of the good seed of the 
Word. More cheering than an increase of numbers, or any 
indications of external prosperity, is the record that, so late as 
1875, as the fruits of the revival of that year, eighteen mem- 
bers of the school united with the Church. 

This brief review of the sixty-two years of this school is 
bright with promise for the future. The fathers, indeed, pass 
on from their toil here to their rest and reward. The workers 
in the Lord's vineyard are not the same men and women as in 
a former generation. Wisdom is required to avoid the abuse 
of some of our more recent methods in the Sabbath school 



One Hundred and Fiftieth Anniversary. 57 

work. But there is One who is " the same yesterday, and to- 
day, and forever." The promises of God are sure. His cov- 
enant is with his people. Generations disappear ; times and 
manners change. One kingdom is enduring — the kingdom 
which is " righteousness, and peace, and joy in the Holy 
Ghost;" one empire is to be universal — that of which our 
crucified Redeemer is the Head. Be it ours, in our day and in 
our field, as teachers and pupils, to be faithful to our Lord and 
Master, assured that sower and reaper will rejoice together, 
that the Great Shepherd cares for the lambs and for the flock, 
and that through his Spirit he still dwells in the hearts of 
those whom he has redeemed. 



j^i^tojrical ^hctdj of tf)c four WtctinQ^^ou^c^* 



BY BENJAMIN DICKERMAN. 



Recently in the city of New York there has been reared 
a shaft taken from the relics of that civilization which existed 
thousands of years ago. How eager every prominent city or 
town is to gather the items of its early history, especially if it 
has reached an age of one hundred or more years ! This is 
right, for we are indebted to former generations for their ex- 
perience, and for this legacy we should honor their memory. 
One hundred and fifty summer suns have passed since the 
formation of this First Church, under whose auspices we have 
assembled as friends and neighbors to celebrate this anniver- 
sary day. 

The committee of arrangements assigned me the task of 
giving a description of the four meeting-houses that have been 
used by this Church for worship. With reluctance was the 
labor entered upon, and your indulgence is asked while these 
hastily gathered items, collected from old manuscripts and 
records, are read. Especially am I indebted to our late ven- 
erable Dr. Alden for many quotations from his History of 
Randolph . 

None of the early settlements, since that at Plymouth, in- 
terests us more than that of Old Braintree, and especially 
that of the South Precinct. By the early records we find 
that in 1727 about forty families had made a settlement in 
this section. The difficulty of traveling six or seven miles on 
the Sabbath to attend public worship caused much dissatis- 



is?. 





^"=«e — ^ 



One Hundred and Fiftieth Anniversary. 59 

faction. Some twenty-eight of these pioneers met and voted 
to build a meeting-house, and petition the General Court of 
Massachusetts Bay Colony to be set off as a distinct pre- 
cinct. This petition was granted, and the South Precinct of 
Braintree became known in history. Suffolk deeds of 1720 
to 1727 reveal the location of some of these honored petition- 
ers and builders of the first meeting-house. From this hill a 
path led down through what is called Mill Lane across Cochato 
River to the home of John French, on land known as the 
Wales French place. A short distance further, on the same 
path, lived Deacon Samuel Bass, on land now known as Dr. 
Alden's farm. 

Of those living in the eastern part of the precinct, we 
locate Thomas Fenton on the Isaac Spear homestead ; Jo- 
seph Wales's home, near the old Apollos Wales place. On 
a cart path leading southward from this hill we find Deacon 
Thomas Wales, on what is now called the Wales homestead ; 
still further south, on the same path, were Moses Curtis and 
William Linfield. Going north on the "country road" 
leading to Rev. Mr. Niles's meeting-house, at the foot of the 
hill we cross a brook, then called " Circuits Ordinary," on 
which a saw-mill stood, a short distance to the east, owned by 
Samuel Pain, who lived near the present location of the 
Catholic Cemetery. (At this saw-mill, it is probable, the 
lumber for the first meeting-house was sawed.) Further 
north, on the east side of the road, Samuel Bagley and 
James Bagley had their homes. On the opposite side of the 
road from the Bagleys lived Jonathan Hayden. North of 
Central Cemetery John Niles had his dwelling. Where the 
residence of Amasa Clark stands, David Niles located. 
Near the Great Pond, then called " More's Pond," was John 
Nightingale's home. Ebenezer Niles built a house west 
of Bendall's Farm, near the junction of Warren and West 
streets. We are unable to locate the homes of the rest of 
the petitioners. Nathaniel Littlefield settled near the Joshua 
Hunt place, on Blue Hill, and Isaac Newcomb near Dr. 



6o First Congregational Church, Randolph. 

Farnum's residence. Although not petitioners, they took an 
active part in building the first meeting-house, and deserve to 
be mentioned with the honored Twenty-eight. 

Records also show that Joseph Crosby, who lived in the 
North Precinct of Braintree, gave to the South Precinct 
(although forty shillings consideration is named in the deed) 
" a certain parcel of land in Braintree, in the County of Suf- 
folk, in the Province of the Massachusetts Bay, containing 
one acre more or less, situated on the country road leading to 
Bridgewater, bounded eastwardly on said road and all other 
sides on the land of said Crosby, set off by certain heap of 
stones at the four corners thereof, &c. Dated March i, 
1727-28, and in the first year of the reign of our Sovereign 
Lord George the Second, King of Great Britain." Signed, 
"Joseph Crosby; witnesses, Benjamin French, Benjamin 
Thayer. Acknowledged March 4, 1727, before Edmund 
Quincy, Justice of the Peace. Received and entered with 
Suffolk Records August 23, 1757, lib. 90, page 200. Ezekiel 
Goldthwait, Register." The land herein described includes 
that occupied by this meeting-house in part, and that in 
front extending to the hotel and to the yard of Dr. Farnum 
and the Town House. The first meeting-house was built in 
the year 1727, on the land described in the foregoing deed, 
and its site was on the northerly side, in front of where the 
hotel now stands. For details of building the first meeting- 
house we have no record. The Zerubbabel to lead we do not 
know, but infer it was Deacon Samuel Bass ; the Nehemiah 
must have been Deacon Thomas Wales ; and the Joshua was 
John Niles. With such men to lead and plan, can any one 
doubt that the work went bravely on } Unlike Solomon, they 
had no King Hiram to furnish gold and silver, cedar and fir- 
trees, nor a King Cyrus to furnish men and material, as had 
Zerubbabel of old. Therefore we must not expect an elab- 
orate structure, neither should wc be critical as we examine 
the labor of these resolute men. Their only material was the 
forest, and their implements were of the roughest kind. 



One Hundred and Fiftieth Anniversary. 6i 

Having selected and gathered together the material, the 
foundation was laid for a building probably forty-four feet in 
length and about thirty-two feet in width. It was two stories 
in height. Tradition says it was a plank building, with a 
pitched roof covered with shingles. It was finished on the 
outside with rough boards which lapped over each other, re- 
sembling wide clapboards. The front was toward the south, 
and had a double door for entering. The pulpit was on the 
north side of the house, opposite the door, with a seat for the 
deacons underneath, facing the congregation. A broad aisle 
led from the door in front to the pulpit. Next to the walls of 
the house, from the door in front round to the pulpit on each 
side, was reserved a space about four feet and a half in width, 
to be covered with pews when they were needed. The floor, 
with this exception, was covered with permanent seats, those 
on the right of the pulpit to be occupied by men, those on the 
left by women. We do not think any of the pews were built 
at the time the house was erected. Arrangements for gal- 
leries were made, but they were not finished ; either their 
resources were exhausted, or they delayed until they had a 
minister to consult. The records inform us that after set- 
tling a minister improvements were made. The ceiling and 
walls were lathed and plastered. No provisions were made 
for lighting or heating. Paint never was used upon the inside 
or the outside. The windows were small, and contained dia- 
mond glass. The house was partly finished, and public wor- 
ship was held in it, near the close of 1727. We have no 
account of its dedication. 

The first recorded vote for raising money to support preach- 
ing in the first meeting-house was that of March 19, 1728-29, 
when ^60 was voted. " Moses Curtis and Thomas Wales 
were appointed a committee to agree with a minister." The 
committee invited Rev. Mr. Morse, of Stoughton, to preach 
for a short time. May 15, 1729, "It was voted to take a 
contribution for Mr. Morse, and Thomas Wales should hold 
the box, and contributors should write their names to their 



62 First Congregational Church, Randolph. 

money." At the same time they voted " that Isaac Newcomb 
should be the man to hold the pulpit." "October 14, 1729, 
Voted to make seats in the meeting-house, and to finish the 
doorway." To show the care that was exercised to protect 
the meeting-house from fire, I cite the following vote : " March 
10, 1729-30, it was voted, that if any person shall kindle a 
fire within 10 rods of the meeting-house he shall forfeit lO 
shillings." " Voted, that William Copeland shall be the man 
to prosecute the person so offending." 

Having settled Rev. Elisha Eaton as their minister, the 
precinct commenced to make arrangements for finishing the 
meeting-house on the inside, and for building the pews. 

December 12, 1732, "Voted, that Samuel Vinton should 
have that corner pew by Rev. Mr. Eaton's pew." Also voted, 
" that Samuel Hayden, John French, and Ebenezer Copeland 
be a committee to order and determine who should have the 
west places for pews in said meeting-house." " March 14, 
1733, Voted, to do something toward finishing the meeting- 
house. Voted, to cut the hind seat. Voted, the following 
agreement between the precinct and Joshua Hayward about 
having a pew between the women's stairs and the great doors : 
Hayward to build said stairs, lay the floor in said gallery, and 
to lathe and plaster said gallery to the beams and plate, and 
built front seat in said gallery, and also the second seat in said 
gallery, for said pew No. — . Voted, the following agreement 
between the precinct and John French about the pew between 
the men's stairs and great doors : John French to build said 
stairs and lay floor in said gallery, and to lathe and plaster 
said gallery up to beams and plate, and also to build the front 
seat in said gallery for said pew. Voted, ;^io toward finishing 
our meeting-house. Voted, Ebenezer Niles, Joseph Wales, 
and William Copeland be a committee to raise and pay out 
said money. Voted, furthermore, the said Joshua Hayden 
and John French to do half the work toward finishing said 
meeting-house before the 20th of May next ensuing, and to 
complete the above said work by the i6th of October next 



One HuTtdred and Fiftieth Anniversary. 63 

ensuing; also that Ebenezer Niles, Joseph Wales, and William 
Copeland is the committee to see that the above said Joshua 
Hayward and John French do said work workmanlike. Voted, 
the said Joshua Hayward and John French's pews are to be 
7 feet long and 4 feet and 10 inches in depth." 

The galleries were reached by stairs in the southeast and 
southwest corners of the house, leading from the narrow 
aisles below in a zigzag form to the aisles above. Spaces for 
pews were reserved against the walls above, in the same man- 
ner as below. The front part of the gallery all round was 
furnished with benches, to be occupied by the young people. 
"March 13, 1735, Voted, Samuel Hayden 10 shillings to take 
care of said meeting-house the ensuing year." The comniittee 
chosen in 1732 reported that they had given Rev. Mr. Eaton 
the pew between the pulpit stairs and Samuel Vinton's, and 
let John Hayden have the privilege of that in the north 
corner of the meeting-house, for building Mr. Eaton's, and let 
Peter Thayer and Thomas French have front place joining 
men's stairs, they paying to the precinct £,^. " December 2, 
1735, Voted, that Thomas Wales, Thomas French, and Peter 
Thayer be a committee to lay out the lime that Samuel Vinton 
gave toward finishing the meeting-house, and the yCs that 
Thomas French and Peter Thayer paid for their pew, in fin- 
ishing said meeting-house." "October 17, 1737, Voted, that 
the place for a pew under the women's stairs is granted to 
John Clark for ^£2 i^s." We find a committee was chosen 
at this time to proceed in law against those persons who have 
not fulfilled their agreements with the precinct in regard to 
pews. That they were in earnest is shown by a vote " that 
Deacon Samuel Bass get a law-book for the precinct." " March 
16, 1742, Voted, that Deacon Samuel Bass, Jonathan Clark, 
and Jonathan Hayden be a committee to build and finish the 
7 hindermost seats in the two side galleries in the meeting- 
house, 4 in the men's gallery and 3 in women's gallery." 
"March 20, 1748, Voted, to sell privileges for building pews 
to the highest bidder." 



64 First Congregational Church, Randolph. 

June 7, 1749. Rev. Mr. Eaton was dismissed from the pas- 
toral office. It was voted to give him ;i^"ioo, if he gives up 
his pew in the meeting-house. July 9, 1752, it was voted 
that "Joseph Hay ward, Samuel Clark, and Ebenezer Crane 
be a committee to brace and prepare the meeting-house for 
the ordination of Rev. Mr. Taft, which was to take place Au- 
gust 26th, and to seat the Council in the two foremost seats 
below clear through, and the Cluirch in the two seats in the 
front gallery." March 8, 1758, at a precinct meeting, a mo- 
tion was made "to procure lime to point the gable end of the 
meeting-house, and get two bundles of shingles and one hun- 
dred clapboards for repairing the meeting-house;" but it was 
defeated. The last time anything was voted for repairing 
the meeting-house was March 7, 1759, when it was "voted to 
shingle the back roof of the meeting-house, and make it tight 
from letting in the rain and snow. Voted, that Capt. Wales, 
Lieut. Hayward, and Capt. Peter Thayer be a committee to 
make these repairs. Voted, Lieut. Seth Turner six pistereens 
for care of meeting-house and sweeping house 12 times." Such 
is the record of the First Meeting-House, a building which 
served well its purpose, although not attractive in appearance. 

The pride of New England today is its meeting-houses, 
school-houses, and public libraries. From the day our fore- 
fathers set foot on Plymouth Rock, the school-house has been 
the handmaid of the meeting-house. We find that the settlers 
of the south precinct of Braintree brought with them the 
spirit of the fathers, since they built a school-house about the 
same time they built the first meeting-house. It was located 
on the precinct land, not far from Dr. Farnum's yard. Rec- 
ords of the precinct meetings show the interest manifested by 
our fathers in the education of the children, by the frequent 
appropriations made for schools. 

The meeting-house of our ancestors was the house of the 
precinct, and was truly a meeting house, as it was the place 
where the inhabitants met for the transaction of all business. 
On week days the men met to discuss topics pertaining to the 



One Hundred and Fiftieth Attniversary . 65 

welfare of the precinct and also of the colony. On Sabbath 
mornings might have been seen the fathers and the mothers, 
with their children, wending their way along the different 
trails leading to their meeting-house; some coming many 
miles, either walking or traveling on horseback. (It is related 
that for thirty years after the first house was erected it was 
not approached by a carriage.) There was no musical bell to 
summons them, nor were they greeted on arrival with melodious 
voluntaries from the organ. They came both morning and 
afternoon, because of their ardent desire to worship God. And 
they could say, with Jacob of old, "This is none other but 
the house of God, and this is the gate of heaven." 

The repairs made on the meeting-house in the year 1759 
did not meet the wants of the precinct. New settlers were 
added yearly, and with them came increased wealth. The 
question of building a new meeting-house began to be agitated 
both by people and pastor. It is stated that the building had 
become so dilapidated that it was no protection from rain or 
snow, and was the habitation of swallows during the summer. 
January 14, 1762, all the freeholders and other inhabitants of 
the south precinct were warned to meet at their meeting- 
house at ten o'clock in the forenoon, to act on an article in a 
warrant for the purpose of building a new meeting-house. 
" It was voted to build a meeting-house, if they could agree 
where it shall be built." At the same meeting it was put to 
vote "whether all the young men in the precinct that are 
twenty-one years of age and upwards shall have liberty to vote 
in the meeting," and it passed in the affirmative. " Voted, 
that whenever the inhabitants on Cochato side of the river 
shall be set off as a parish, that the precinct will reimburse to 
them, toward building a meeting-house for them, as much as 
they pay by tax toward building a meeting-house now in hand, 
in the same specie as they pay in ; allowing what the meeting- 
house shall then be valued at, less than it is when first built." 

January 28, 1762, after a long debate, it was voted "that 
Capt. Thomas Penniman, Atherton Wales, Nathaniel Wales, 



66 First Congregational Church, Randolph. 

Moses Wales, and David Vinton, with other inhabitants of 
the town of Stoughton that have lately petitioned to their 
parish to be set off, might be set off, with their estates, from 
their parish in Stoughton to the South Precinct in Braintree." 

Voted, " Gideon Herrick shall be entitled to one dollar when 
his services shall be done sweeping the meeting-house 12 
times." 

March 10, 1763, Deacon Thomas Wales, Deacon Samuel 
Bass, Lieut. Joshua Hayward, Mr. Ebenezer Copeland, En- 
sign Joseph Wales, Lieut. Joseph Hayward, Dr. Moses Baker, 
Mr. Eliphalet Sawin, and Samuel Wales were appointed a 
committee to take action about building a meeting-house. 

June 6, 1763, Lieut. Joseph White, Cornet Jonathan Bass, 
and Mr. Eliphalet Sawin were chosen a committee to sell the 
pews in the new meeting-house to be built. Voted, " that the 
new meeting-house be built sixty feet in length and forty-five 
feet in width." "Voted, that persons set off from Stoughton 
to this precinct shall have an equal chance of purchasing 
pews in the new meeting-house as the present inhabitants, 
provided they bear their equal proportion of building the 
house." 

August 22, 1763, "Voted, that all the timber for the frame 
of the new meeting-house shall be delivered at the spot where 
it is to be set by the first day of March next ; that the sills 
shall be all white oak ; that the house shall be covered with 
boards lined or sawed on their edges ; that the roof shall be 
covered with cedar shingles, and the sides and ends with cedar 
clapboards. Voted, to raise ;!^200 toward building the house, 
and that it shall be underpinned on the front and ends with 
two tiers of cut stones. Voted, also, to build a steeple, and 
cover the bell deck with sheet lead ; and that the stones used 
for steps shall be hewn and laid in a circular form, according 
to a plan laid before the precinct." Joseph Porter, Jonathan 
Bass, and Eliphalet Sawin were the building committee; 
Deacon Bass, Deacon Wales, Lieut. Joshua Hayward, John 
French, Lieut. Joseph White, Capt. John White, Dr. Moses 



One Hundred and Fiftieth Anniversary. 6y 

Baker, Cornet Jonathan Bass, Jonathan Wales, and Lieut. 
Seth Turner were the committee to determine where to place 
the new meeting-house on the precinct's land. 

Such were the arrangements made for building, and I have 
given them in full as recorded, that we may be acquainted 
with the methods used by our ancestors in undertaking an 
enterprise which was for the welfare of the community. The 
enthusiasm and harmony which prevailed are worthy of note, 
and, above all, we should commend that characteristic of pay- 
ing for what they had, and not running into debt. Their 
descendants are to be congratulated that this virtue of the 
fathers has not been lost by the sons. To the honor of all 
generations, no mortgage has been put upon either of the four 
meeting-houses built upon this hill for the worship of God. 
This virtue should receive more than a passing notice. It 
should be held up today as one of the Christian virtues, and 
woven into the woof and warp of our characters, that the real 
value of anything is the sacrifice made to obtain it — whether 
it be school-houses, meeting-houses, or a mansion in the Celes- 
tial City. 

The second meeting-house was located near the west line 
of the precinct land, parallel with, and three feet distant from 
it, extending on that line sixty feet, and easterly forty-five feet. 
It was two stories in height, elevated on an underpinning of 
two rows of hammered stone. It had a tower fifty feet in 
height to the bell deck, and a steeple rising from the deck 
forty-six feet. The entrance was by double doors in front, 
which were reached by circular stone steps. The interior ar- 
rangements were similar to those of the first house. A row 
of pews extended round the house against the walls, raised 
about eight inches above the level of the floor, the body of 
the house being divided into six rows of pews, three on each 
side of the broad aisle, excepting the area immediately in 
front of the pulpit, which was covered with seats for the use 
of elderly persons. The pulpit, with its imposing sounding- 
board above and deacons' seat beneath, stood opposite to the 



68 



First Congregational CJnirch, Randolph. 



front entrance. There were wide galleries on three sides of 
the house; the front finished throughout with pews, the two 
side galleries with seats, with the exception of a single row of 
pews in the rear of each. There were in the house when 
built, in 1764, fifty-six pews of a square form; of these, forty- 
were on the lower floor and sixteen in the gallery. They 
were sold before the house was erected. The amount received 
from the sale of pews, and avails of the old meeting-house 
and school-house, with the ;^200 raised, were sufficient to pay 
all bills in full, amounting to a fraction over ;^ 1,000, and 
leave a small balance in the treasury. The old house was 
used for worship until the completion of the new house, when 
it was sold and removed. 

These are the names of the subscribers for pews in the 
second meeting-house, with the number and price paid : 



Lieut. Joshua Hayward No. 

Benjamin Spear, Jr " 

William Linfield " 

Samuel French " 

Joseph Lovell and Jacob Goldthwait .... " 

Lieut. Joseph White " 

Noah Thayer and Kliphalet Sawin .... " 

Lieut. Nath'l Belcher and Ebenezer Copeland . " 

Richard Hayden " 

Samuel Belcher " 

Cornet Jonathan Bass " 

Richard Spear " 

Parish « 

Jonathan Wales " 

Atherton Wales " 

Joshua French " 

Matthew Pratt " 

Noah Whitcomb " 

Deacon Samuel Bass and Joseph Wales . . " 

Peletiah Stejihens " 

Nathaniel Niles " 

John Niles " 

Nathaniel Wales " 

Nathaniel Payne " 

Moses Spear and Joseph Spear " 





£ 


s. 


d. 


I, pr 


ice 17 


6 


8 


2, ' 


15 


9 


4 


7, ' 


14 


8 





3> ' 


13 


17 


4 


4. ' 


7 


16 





5. ' 


15 


9 


4 


6, ' 


13 


6 


8 


8, ' 


17 


6 


8 


9. ' 


14 


8 





10, ' 


18 








II, ' 


' 20 


2 


8 


12, ' 


IS 


12 





13. 








14. ' 


19 


14 


8 


15. ' 


17 


14 


8 


16, ' 


14 


8 





17, ' 


18 


■3 


4 


18, ' 


14 


5 


4 


•9. ' 


14 


16 





20, ' 


•5 


14 


8 


21, ' 


7 


10 





22, ' 


14 


8 





23. ' 


'5 


9 


4 


24, ' 


'5 


12 





25' ' 


■5 


9 


4 



One Hundred a7id Fiftieth Anniversary. 69 

£ s. d. 

Widow Mary Allen No. 26, price 15 9 4 

Nathaniel Wales " 27, " 15 6 8 

Jonathan Hayward " 28, " 1568 

Lieut. Seth Turner " 29, " 1368 

Samuel Wales " 30, " 15 i 4 

Ensign Joseph Wales " 3'> " 18 8 8 

Deacon Thomas Wales " 32, " 18 o o 

Ruphus Stitson ^'' ZZ'> '''' ^5 6 8 

Joseph Porter " 34, " 14 18 8 

Thomas Fenton " 35> " 1568 

Abiather French " 36, " 15 14 8 

Jonathan Wild " 37. " '5 9 4 

John Clark " 38, " 15 12 o 

Lieut. Joseph Hayward " 39. " 1568 

Capt. Thomas Penniman " 40, " 1568 

Capt. John White " 41, " 15 9 4 

Lieut. Joseph White " 42, " 1594 

Zebuion Thayer, Jr., and John King .... " 43, " 7100 

David Vinton " 44, " 1480 

Moses Wales " 45, " 15 i 8 

Elijah French " 46, " iS o o 

Lieut. Seth Turner " 47, " 18 o o 

Joshua Hayward, Jr " 48, " 14 18 8 

Dr. Moses Baker " 49, " 14 18 8 

Ruphus Stitson, Benj. Dyer and .Saml. Spear . " 50, " 6180 

Isaac Niles " 51, " 10 13 4 

Ephraim Hunt, Jr " 52, " 1 1 9 4 

Lieut. Joseph Hayward " 53' " 1000 

John Bagley " 54, " 10 10 8 

John Clark " 55. " 880 

Silas Clark and John Hayward " 56, " 700 

By the assistance of Hon. Bradford L. Wales, Mr. George 
H. Wilkins has made a drawing of the second meeting-house 
as it was when taken down in 1825, and a plan of the pews 
on the lower floor and in the galleries, with the names of the 
owners, and also a drawing of the third meeting-house. 

The additions of pews on the lower floor and galleries from 
the original fifty-six will be explained by the records which 
will be given of the improvements in 1784 and 1796. 



FLOOR PLAN OF THE SECOND CHURCH, AFTER ALTERATIONS OF 1796. 



THE TOWER. 

I 68 I 



25 



23 



21 



20 



30 31 


32 


33 


34 








37 


38 




g 




35 


36 


— 


42 


41 




40 


39 





5 




43 


44 





45 


46 


47 


48 


49 


60 








51 


52 


53 


64 


55 



16 



Wm. & Ltither French, 
lyuthcr Thayer. 
Joshua Baker. 
Isaac Thayer. 
Meshech Thayer. 
Benjamin Paine. 
Nath'l & Joshua Wales. 
Jonathan Spear. 
Adonijali Krcnch. 
John French. 
Daniel Stftson. 
I'hincas Tliayer. 
David Burrill. 
John Whitcomb. 
Moses Whitcomb. 
Bailey White 
Jonathan Wales. 
Thomas French. 



12 



Mill II 



SOUTH. 



Minister's Family. 

Passaiie Way. 

John .Mann. 

Ebcnezer Alden. 

Jona.& Ephraim Belcher. 41. 8n 



24. Jeremiah Thayer. 



Z'i. Rich'd «i Asa Belcher. 
2(i. Billy Belcher. 

27. Simeon White. 

28. Eliphalet Snwin. 
211. Joseph White. 
.SO. Seth Turner. 

SI. Samuel Curtis. 
if'2. John Adams. 
;w. Ehenezor Belcher. 
34. Jncol) Whitcomb. 
Xi. Gideon Tower. 
."!«. Elisha Holbrook. 
<ir. Elisha Mann. 
,•58. Josepli &• Dan'l Faxon. 
Si). Josepli Spear. 
40. Timothy Thayer, 
uel Bass. 



42. Joseph Belcher. 



Silas Paine. 

Cornelius White. 

William Linlield. 
, Barnabas Clark. 

Eleazer Beal. 

Elisha & Sim. Thayer. 
, Joseph Holbrook. 

John Wild. 

Ephraim Wales. 

Kufus* Sam'l Thayer. 

Silas Alden. 

Joseph Porter. 



Old Men's Seats. 
Clock Weights. 
Pulpit. 
Deacons' Seats. 



GALLERY PLAN OF THE SECOP CHURCH, AFTER ALTERATIONS OF 1796. 



NORTH. 



35 



32 



33 



22 



24 




1. Paupers' Pew. 

2. James KitiKinan. 

3. Nathaniel Hobart. 

4. John West. 

5. Sylvanus Ludden. 

6. Joshua French. 

7. Ne^ro Pew. 

8. Asa Thayer. 

9. Peter Thaver. 
10. Joshua Niies. 



17 16 



11. Zach. Thayer. 

12. Elijah Wild. 

13. Samuel Wood. 

14. Ambrose HoUis. 



15. Pau pers' Pew. 

16. Robert Thayer. 

17. Zebcdiah Howard. 

18. Otis Clark. 

20. Samuel Ludden. 

21. Negro Pew. 

22 Benjamin Howard. 

23. John Wild. 

24. Joseph Hunt. 

25. Zenas French. 



26. Atherton Wales. 

27. Theophilus Thayer. 

28. Jona. Wales. 

29. S. Pendergrass. 

30. Boys' Scats. 

31. Boys' Seats. 

32. Choir Females. 
S3. Choir Males. 

34. Clock Weights. 

35. Stairs to Clock Tower. 



72 First Congregational Church, Randolph. 

The committee appointed to settle with the meeting-house 
committee made the following report, February i, 1765 : 

£ s. d. 
Received from sale of pews 7.S5 12 o 

Raised by the precinct 200 o 

Proceeds from sale of old meeting-house 20 o o 

Proceeds from sale of old school-house 280 

Raised by Stoughton members 480 

1,012 8 o 

Cost of new meeting-house , 987 6 2 

Balance not expended £2^ i 10 

JosKPii White, j 
Benjamin Porter, > Commiltee. 
Joseph Hayvvard, ) 

The second meeting-house was dedicated on the first Thurs- 
day in December, 1764. Capt. Penniman was appointed to 
provide a cushion for the pulpit. Rev. Mr. Wibird, of the first 
precinct, and Rev. Mr. Dodge, of Abington, were invited to 
preach. Capt. Penniman and Elijah French were chosen " to 
tune or set the Psalm." This house was a finely proportioned 
building, and was considered an ornament to the precinct. 
By the records we find alterations were continually made, as 
the wants of the inhabitants increased. March 7, 1765, a bell 
for the new meeting-house was voted. Joseph Porter, Eliphalet 
Sawin, and Cornet Jonathan Bass were chosen a committee to 
get a bell of the weight of 550 pounds or a little more. 
Voted ;^50 for the purpose. " March 6, 1 ^66, Voted, that 
the precinct meeting-house bell be rung at nine o'clock in the 
evening each night, that it be tolled at funerals and upon the 
news of any death in the precinct." "Voted, that Barach 
Jordan shall have ^8.00 for ringing and tolling the bell in full 
as recorded, and sweeping the meeting-house faithfully 12 
times in the year." 

March 10, 1768. The question of having a well was settled 
by the following vote : "that Lieut. Seth Turner and Jonathan 
Howard should have liberty to dig a well on the precinct 
land. Voted, that Lieut. Joshua Howard, Deacon Thomas 



Ojie Hundred and Fiftieth Anniversary. 73 

Wales, and Cornet Jonathan Bass inspect the digging of the 
well." This is the one found near the Town House today. 

The bell did not prove to be perfect, and was taken down, 
after much trouble and expense. April 6, 1768, Voted, to 
send to England and get a bell weighing seven hundred 
pounds. The bell arrived in Boston, and a meeting of the 
precinct was called, November 10, 1768, and they voted, "that 
Lieut. Joseph White, Capt. Thomas Penniman, Cornet Jona- 
than Bass, Jonathan Wales, and Lieut. Seth Turner be a 
committee to go to Boston and accept the bell, if it was 
sound, and bring it out and see it well hung." This proved 
to be an excellent one. 

The warrants for calling of meetings of the precinct, from 
its organization to 1777, had been in the name of his Majesty 
the King of Great Britain. March 11, 1777, we find the pre- 
cinct meeting was called in the name of the government and 
people of the State. It was the influence of the meeting- 
houses upon this hill, in common with hundreds of others 
scattered upon these New England hills, that aroused the 
spirit of liberty which led to the independence of these United 
States. 

March 4, 1779, "Voted, to repair meeting-house doors and 
windows, and endeavor to make the belfry tight." January 
22, 1784, "Voted, to take up the two hind seats of the men's 
and women's below, and sell the locations for pews." March 
4, 1784, "Voted, that Major Turner, Ensign Spear, Capt. 
Sawin, Lieut, Mann, Dr. Wild, Capt. Belcher, Capt. Richards, 
Lieut. Clark, be a committee to paint the meeting-house, 
repair the belfry, take up the two hind seats in each gallery^ 
and sell the spots for pews." July 12, 1784, "Joshua Hay- 
ward, Col. Bass, Esquire Penniman, Lieut. Clark, Major Tur- 
ner, were chosen to arrange about the seats in the galleries." 
They reported it was best to take 7 inches out of the second 
and third seats, and to make the new pews 3 feet 9 inches 
wide, and the alley to be 15 inches, which was accepted. 

At the dedication of the second house we noted the ap- 



74 First Congregational Church, Randolph. 

pointing of choristers to lead the singing; from that time 
more attention was given to singing. In March, 1773, Simeon 
Thayer and Ephraim Thayer were chosen tuners, in addition 
to Thomas Penniman and Elijah French, who had served 
acceptably from the dedication of the house. 

In 1778 it was voted that the singers should be seated by 
themselves. The three back seats below in front of the 
pulpit, both on the men's and women's side, were selected for 
their accommodation. Voted, to choose two tuners, in addi- 
tion to the number in office, and Elisha Wales and Lieut. 
Isaac Thayer were chosen. From this time Capt. Elisha 
Wales was chief chorister for some twenty years. This was 
the first departure from congregational singing, and culmi- 
nated in having permanent seats built for a choir near the 
pulpit, in accordance with a vote passed March 9, 1786, "To 
cut the women's and men's gallery seats, and the singers to 
have the upper part of women's seats." 

In 1790 Col. Jonathan Bass made the parish a present of a 
clock, which was placed upon the tower of the second meet- 
ing-house. June 22, it w^as voted to accept the gift, and 
that an inscription of the donor's name should be written on 
the face of the clock, / doubt not many present today recol- 
lect the inscription, if they do not the clock. It must have been 
made of better material than some of the present day, to have 
lasted seventy years. 

In 1796 it was voted "to sell the two back seats on the 
lower floor each side the broad aisle, to be made into 4 pews, 
and 20 inches to be cut off from the ends of the remain- 
ing two seats, to accommodate the new pews with alleys," 
" Voted, to build two porches to the meeting-house, one on 
the east side and one on the south side. Voted, to give 
Samuel Bass, Barnabas Clark, and Solomon White $70.00 and 
privilege of building pews for their own benefit, in southeast 
and northeast corners of the meeting-house below and above 
stairs, for building two porches, as follows : one on the front 
of the meeting-house, one story high, 9 feet by 8^ feet ; the 



One Htmdred and Fiftieth Anniversary. 75 

other at the south end of the meeting-house, two stories high, 
10 feet by 10 feet, with a pair of stairs; both to be finished 
off and painted handsomely, with doors, underpinning, and 
windows, and cut doors through the sides of the meeting-house 
into the side galleries." Before the meeting adjourned, we 
find, they thought best to have both porches two stories in 
height, for they voted, " to allow Mr. Seth Mann $30.00 toward 
raising the porch aforesaid on the east side of the meeting- 
house another story, building stairs, and painting ; and allow 
the persons whose pews it might injure, by making an alley 
through them, any reasonable compensation that the com- 
mittee for repairing the meeting-house may think proper for 
that purpose." These repairs and improvements changed the 
appearance of the second house very much. 

A complaint was made that taking part of the women's 
seats for the singers did not give them room enough. A vote 
was passed, " that Joseph White, Nathaniel Niles, and Moses 
Whitcomb be a committee to purchase a pew of the meeting- 
house committee, to accommodate the women, in lieu of the 
women's seats which are occupied by the singers." We must 
commend our ancestors for the provision they made that all 
should have places provided in the meeting-house to worship 
God without money and without price. September 9, 1803, a 
vote was passed, that " Dr. E. Alden, Seth Turner, Jr., and 
Samuel Bass be a committee to superintend the painting of 
the meeting-house inside." We find that Luther French 
agreed to take care of the meeting-house, ring the bell, sweep 
the meeting-house properly, for $7.00, and take care of the 
clock for $3.00. 

"March 10, 1808, Voted, that Samuel Bass, Esq., Jona- 
than Wales, Jr., Joseph White, Major Barnabas Clark, Lieut. 
Nathaniel Niles, Seth Turner, Lieut. Jonathan Belcher, Zenas 
French, Lieut. David Burrell, be a committee to paint the 
meeting-house, repair the belfry, if it should be thought 
proper, after examining the treasury, and viewing the meet- 
ing-house. Also voted, two dollars to be paid to the person 



^6 First Congregational Church, Randolph, 

who may play on the bass-viol the coming year." This was 
the beginning of paying for music, and the introduction of 
instruments into the meeting-house choir. 

It is related that during the war of 1812 with Great Britain, 
news came one Sabbath day, during the morning service, that 
the British squadron was off the coast, and the soldiers were 
making a landing at Cohasset in force. The courier that 
brought the news entered the meeting-house, ascended the 
pulpit stairs, and handed to Rev. Jonathan Strong, the pastor, 
a paper, which was a call for all soldiers to hasten to Cohasset. 
This was read by the pastor. In a brief address he urged not 
only the soldiers, but the citizens, to take their guns and hasten 
to the place of danger, defend their homes, and acquit them- 
selves like men ; and then offering a fervent prayer commend- 
ing them to God's care, dismissed the meeting. Col. Barnabas 
Clark, jumping up on his pew, announced he would meet all 
that would go at one o'clock in front of the meeting-house, 
and lead them to the scene of danger. Some 400 or more 
soldiers and citizens met at the appointed time, and, headed 
by Col. Clark, marched for Cohasset. Rev. Jonathan Strong 
went in a chaise with Dr. Jonathan Wales. Such was the 
spirit of the pulpit of the second meeting-house when our 
country was in danger during its childhood. 

The pews in the first and second houses were square, with 
seats all round hung with hinges ; and it was the custom in 
those days to stand during prayer, when the seats were raised. 
At the close of prayer the seats were allowed to fall, or in 
some instances were forced down, creating a response which 
was anything but musical. It became so annoying that. May 
12, 1815, a vote was passed, "that the owners of pews should 
prevent, if possible, the falling of their seats, thereby inter- 
rupting public worship, and that they request those who sit 
in them to observe and do the same." No one can doubt 
that our fathers desired to pay all due homage to the mem- 
ory of the departed, from a vote passed in 1816, "That the 
sexton be instructed to toll the bell at the death of all persons, 



One Hundred mid Fiftieth Anniversary. yj 

from sunrise till it is two hours high." In 1818 the question 
of repairing the old house or building a new one was agitated. 
" It was voted, to build rather than repair." Then most of 
the residents living east of Cochato River petitioned to the 
General Court to be set off as a separate parish. January 8, 
1819, "It was voted, that Barnabas Clark, Seth Mann, Esq., 
Capt. Luther Thayer, Royal Turner, Joseph Hunt, Isaac 
Thayer, and Lieut. David Burrell be a committee to go to the 
General Court and oppose the division of the parish." Not- 
withstanding the opposition, the petition was granted, and the 
eastern portion, which is now called Holbrook, was set off 
as a parish by itself. This delayed the building of the 
new house. April 29, 1824. At a parish meeting held, a 
committee of fifty-two of the prominent members of the 
parish was chosen to consider what was for the interest of 
the parish, either to repair the old house or build a new one. 
June 7, 1824, this committee reported that it was best to build 
a new house, and John Mann, Capt. Luther Thayer, and Col. 
Royal Turner were chosen a committee to raise a fund of 
^4,000 for the purpose of building the house. This was raised 
as a sinking fund, and when the pews were sold in the new 
house, then this money was to be replaced and made a per- 
petual fund. The committee of fifty-two, with the rest of the 
parish, were in council often during the summer of 1824, and 
perfected the plans for raising money and building a meeting- 
house during the summer of 1825. On the finance committee 
we find the well-known names of Turner, Alden, and Bass, 
which State Street would at that day have called good enough. 
On the committee for making plans and superintending the 
building we find that the noted family of carpenters called 
Belcher were the controlling spirits. With such committees, 
I think all will agree that everything must have been done 
by rule, and all bills paid on the square. Public worship was 
held in the second meeting-house for the last time on Sunday, 
April 3, 1825, and the east parish was invited to join in the 



y8 First Congregational Church, Randolph. 

farewell to this house. On Tuesday, April 5, 1825, the work 
of taking down the old house was commenced. 

Many relics of the second meeting-house still exist. The 
vane adorns the barn of Mr. John Holbrook, of Holbrook. 
The circular stone steps are in use today at the residence of 
the late Jonathan Belcher, of this town. 

The parish not having a place for worship, and there being- 
no suitable hall in this vicinity, John King, Esq., kindly 
allowed them the use of the north part of his house for 
public worship, until the new house was built. 

The location of the third meeting-house was a short dis- 
tance to the south and west of the second, not varying much 
from the site of the present house. The history of the third 
meeting-house is written in the memory of many of those 
present. For the benefit of those whose memory does not go 
back to i860, allow me to say that the third meeting-house 
stands today a short distance from here, on North Street. 
Although shorn of clock, bell, and steeple, the exterior is 
much the same as when it stood upon this hill. The projec- 
tion, with its three doors, as now seen, was the tower upon 
which rested the steeple. These doors were the entrance to 
the vestibule. In the vestibule hung for many years a case 
with a glass covering, which served as a bulletin to reveal the 
marriage intentions of the joyous and hopeful, and was the 
center of attraction to all. From the vestibule two doors en- 
tered the audience-room ; from these doors two aisles extended 
to the rear of the house. The pulpit was on the east, between 
the entrance doors. It was built of mahogany, and was consid- 
ered a model of its kind. It was entered by stairs at the sides, 
leading from an aisle or open space in front. Between the 
aisles were two rows of pews, with one row on the north and 
one on the south, fifteen pews in each row, three pews in the 
northeast corner, and three in the southeast corner, reached 
by an extension of the aisle in front of the pulpit, making sixty- 
six pews on the floor of the audience- room. It had a gallery 
round the house, which was reached by winding stairs in the 



Ojie Hundred and FiftietJi Anniversary. 79 

vestibule. Seats were built for singers over the vestibule, 
back of the pulpit. From the stairs, passage-ways led by the 
singer-seats to aisles which went round the house. The pews 
which extended round the front of the gallery were reached 
by taking two steps down. Pews were against the north and 
south walls, but none on the west. There were thirty pews in 
the galleries, making ninety-six in the house. The trimmings 
of the pews were mahogany. The house was painted within 
and without, but was not carpeted, neither, for some years, 
was it furnished with conveniences for lighting and heating. 
The clock which hangs in the large lecture-room below was 
the one which ornamented the gallery in front of the pulpit, 
and was an object of interest to both preacher and hearer as 
the tenthlies and fifteenthlies were reached. 

Upon entering the audience-room one had to meet the gaze 
of three hundred or more pairs of eyes, and go through an 
inspection which to timid people was trying. I doubt not the 
ministers of the third house found it was as hard to ginde the 
eye as the heart. (I think one reason why a new house was 
built in i860 was that minister and people were tired of these 
weekly reviews.) The third house was commodious and well 
built, but did not stand upon this hill as long as the first meet- 
ing-house. The first house was used for public worship 
thirty-seven years, the second sixty-one years, the third thirty- 
five years. 

The third meeting-house was completed and dedication ser- 
vices were held on Wednesday, the second day of November, 
1825 ; and Rev. Dr. Codman, of Dorchester, led in an intro- 
ductory prayer, Rev. Samuel Gile, of Milton, offered the dedi- 
catory prayer, Rev. R. S. Storrs, of Braintree, read the 
Scriptures, Rev. Calvin Hitchcock preached the sermon, and 
Rev. David Brigham led in the closing prayer. It is said that 
the day was pleasant and the house filled to overflowing, and 
the music was highly spoken of. The sale of pews was on 
November 3d, and what were sold brought enough to pay all 
bills contracted and leave a surplus of ^1,000, which went to 



8o First Congregational Church, Randolph. 

increase a fund raised for the support of the ministry. The 
cost of the third meeting-house was ^8,695.40. 

Among the bills paid on the third house I should like to 
read one, were it not for seeing some in the audience who 
may be more than interested. Perhaps you will pardon me if 
I read one item. The item reads: "To 11 drinks furnished 
at the raising of the meeting-house, 35 cts." Whether this 
was the wholesale or the retail price is a question. 

The bell of the second meeting-house was placed in the 
belfry of the third. It had not been there long before it 
was broken by tolling at the death of some person. After 
much trouble and delay, another bell was obtained, which 
hangs today in the tower of this meeting-house. This bell 
has been a faithful sentinel for more than fifty years, warning 
us of threatened dangers, proclaiming our joys and sorrows, 
and never tiring of calling all by its musical notes to the 
house of God. 

A vestry was built under the third meeting-house which 
was used, instead of the audience-room, for holding meetings 
on week-days and Sabbath School on the Sabbath. The town, 
which had used the first and second meeting-houses for hold- 
ing its meetings, made arrangements for using the vestry for 
town purposes until the building of the town hall, in 1842. 

Mr. Isaac Wetherell taught the first high-school opened in 
this town, in the vestry of the third meeting-house, in 1832, 
which was attended by many pupils who have since become an 
honor to the community in which they reside. Methinks some 
among us today look back to that period as the brightest of 
their life. One of these pupils has addressed you today, and 
others are expected to do so. From the enthusiasm aroused 
by this parish voting that the vestry of the third meeting- 
house might be used for a high-school, an academy was 
built which was an ornament to the town, a blessing to many 
in our midst, and to others, scattered over all portions of 
the globe, who now look back with pride to this their alma 
mater. 



One Hundred and Fiftieth Anniversary. 8i 

In 1834 it was voted to get two good stoves to heat the 
meeting-house. Many present can picture those stoves, three 
stories in height, standing in each aisle, near the stairs lead- 
ing to the pulpit. The warming of the house was a comfort 
to worshipers, as well as a relief to friends living near the 
meeting-house. It was the custom of at least one family liv- 
ing near the meeting-house (I think some before me can 
testify to its truth) to make a fire on cold Sabbath mornings 
at sunrise in an open fireplace (such as were common in those 
days), that the logs might be turned into coals by ten o'clock, 
serving as a reservoir for filling the foot-stoves, which were 
used by all the ladies attending worship. 

In 1834 a clock with three faces was placed upon the 
steeple, which remained until the house was removed. 

In 1854 Dr. E. Alden, Colonel Moses C. Beal, and Jona- 
than Belcher were chosen a (Committee to make all needed 
repairs on the meeting-house. They had the house thoroughly 
repaired, painted inside and out, pews grained, aisles carpeted, 
and furnaces put up for heating, thus improving its appear- 
ance and contributing to the comfort of the worshipers. 

1859. The question of enlarging the third house or build- 
ing a new one was agitated, and after many meetings had 
been held it was finally voted to build a house to contain 
about one hundred and twenty pews, and land was obtained 
of Col. Royal Turner and John Alden, and the fourth meet- 
ing-house was located as it is seen today. A committee of 
ten were chosen, and when I tell you that the names of Alden 
and Turner were among the ten, you will be assured of the 
financial success of the undertaking ; and the name of Belcher 
guaranteed a building of architectural beauty. Above all, 
when I inform you these ten were headed by a Wales — not a 
Thomas, as at the building of the first meeting-house, but 
now a ;z<?(5/^ Jonathan as a Nehemiah — do you think that if 
'there had been a Sanballat to oppose, the walls would not 
have gone up } The walls did go up, and the fourth meeting- 
house was built in i860, and dedicated on Wednesday, Feb- 



82 First Congregational Church, Randolph. 

ruary 27, 1861. The cost of the house, with the amount paid 
to the pew-owners in the third house, was nearly twenty-five 
thousand dollars. February 28, 1861, the pews were offered 
for sale, and about nineteen thousand dollars was realized 
from what were sold. The balance of the twenty-five thou- 
sand dollars was raised a few years afterward, leaving the 
house free from debt, and the parish the owner of a large 
number of pews for rental. The pulpit, which is an orna- 
ment to the house, was the gift of Alexander Strong, Esq., 
son of the Rev. Dr. Jonathan Strong. Last year the house 
was renovated and polished, at an expense of four thousand 
dollars, the money being raised by subscription. 

To you who occupy these pews I shall leave the writing of 
the history of this house. Will you bear with me a moment, 
to say that four from that committee of ten are not with us 
today .'' They have left us thfeir example, and we behold the 
result of their labor. Let us think of this meeting-house as 
a monument of their worth, and ever, as we come within 
these sacred walls, step lightly in honor of their memory. 

In natural philosophy it is laid down as a law that matter 
acts upon matter as it is acted upon, until all the particles in 
the universe are affected. If such is the fact, with how much 
greater force is this law applied in intellectual philosophy — 
to mind acting upon mind ! We cannot attempt to measure 
the influence that has gone forth from these four meeting- 
houses upon this community and upon the world. Eternity 
can only reveal this. Your attention has been called to the 
deeds of the fathers ; but I would not have you forget the 
influence of the mothers. Although it may not be recorded 
in old manuscripts, it has been written upon the hearts of 
faithful sons and dutiful daughters. It is the united influence 
of working fathers and praying mothers that has brought us 
the blessings we enjoy. Let the lessons of the hour, the mem- 
ories of the past, the opportunities of the present, the rewards 
of the future, be incentives to us to go forward, respecting 
ourselves, blessing our fellow-men, and honoring our God. 



C^emns Cjcercises. 



/ 

J^tjBftorp of tJje f^i^alni^ anti ]^pmn^ anti ^um 

OF THE FIRST CHURCH OF RANDOLPH. 



BY REV. ASA 



iA 



ANN. 



The history of music began when the morning stars sang 
together and all the sons of God shouted for joy ; for as 
naturally as the flowers appear on the earth and the time of 
the singing of the birds does come, so natural is it for man 
to sing. And doubtless the worship of Adam and Eve, sur- 
rounded as they were with the profusion of Eden, was more 
in songs of thanksgiving and praise than in prayer. And 
Mary sounded forth her joy in the full-toned voice of the 
ancient chant, 

" My soul doth magnify the Lord, 
And my spirit doth rejoice in God my Saviour," 

at the certainty of his early coming. 

The Pilgrims of Plymouth and the Puritans of Massachu- 
setts Bay were a kind of double protestants — protesting 
against what they deemed the unchristian restraints upon the 
personal activity of the common people in worship, as well as 
against the corruptions of the Roman and English national 
churches of their times. The singing in the Roman churches 
had been usurped by the clergy, as a priestly function, and 



84 First Congregational Church, Randolph. 

was performed in public worship by the inferior clerical orders 
exclusively, and had been appointed in Latin, to cut off the 
voices of the people. 

Worship with our Puritan fathers, on the contrary, was a 
direct personal act — not the listening to, or the looking at 
the act of another. A religion of proxy was their abomina- 
tion, whether it concerned doctrines to be believed, or meri- 
torious acts to be performed, or worship in any of its forms 
to be paid ; and it met their unyielding refusal. This is the 
key to much of their extreme tenacity of conscience and of will 
on minor points, which tenacity may seem willfulness, if this 
their view is forgotten, but is seen to be a noble loyalty to 
truth, when this fact is remembered. 

When they separated from the national Church, they took 
with them their Bibles and Metrical Psalms. They left organ 
and every instrument behind, because these had been used to 
drown words, to bewilder the attention, and to draw away the 
mind from individual worship to a musical entertainment — a 
total perversion of their proper use, in whatever age of the 
world it takes place. But they took with them their native 
talent and acquired skill, and an honest conscience. And 
congregational singing had become extensively popular in 
England before they left their native shores — so popular 
that, we are told, six thousand would sometimes be found 
singing together in and around (the outside of ) the churches 
of London. Congregational singing has continued popular 
on the continent of Europe, especially in Protestant Ger- 
many, from the time of Luther to the present day. It is still 
prevalent in the Scotch and German churches of this country. 

The Puritans adhered to what they considered their right, 
their privilege, and their duty — a threefold cord, strong, 
surely, to them. They brought this custom and the joy of it 
to these shores when they came. And, 

" Amidst the storms they sang, 

And the stars heard, and the sea; 
And the sounding aisles of the dim woods rang 
To the anthems of the free. 



One Hundred and Fiftieth Anniversary. 85 

" What sought they thus afar ? 
Bright jewels of the mine ? 
The wealth of seas, the spoils of war ? 
They sought a faith's pure shrine. 

" Ay, call it holy ground, 

The spot where first they trod ; 
They have left unstained what there they found — 
Freedom to worship God." 

WHAT WORDS DID OUR ANCESTORS SING? 

When the Pilgrims of the Mayflower came to Plymouth 
they brought with them AinswortJi s Version of the Psalms. 
The Puritans of Boston and Salem brought SternJiold and 
Hopkins's Version. These books contain little else but trans- 
lations of the Psalms from the Hebrew, as literal as possible 
and yet be set in lines of long and common meter. Their 
style seems to us defective and rude. But let us remember 
that all English poetry at that age was both defective and 
rude, and that the smoothness, melody, versatility, strength, 
rhythm, and rhyme of which our language is capable have 
been attained since. Ainsworth says: "I have enterprised 
this work with regard to God's honor, and the comfort of 
his people ; that his word might dwell in us richly in all 
wisdom ; and that we might teach one another in psalms and 
hymns and songs spiritual. This I have endeavored to effect 
by setting over into our tongue the Psalms in Meter." 

Yet so reverent and thoughtful were the fine Hebrew 
scholars among the first ministers of New England, that 
they were not quite satisfied with these versions. Our first 
ministers were eminent as scholars among the English clergy. 
Some of them would be eminent as Hebraists at the present 
day. They far surpassed the most of the ministry of our 
country now. And therefore, in less than ten years after the 
settlement of Boston, they selected three of their number — 
Wild and Eliot, of Roxbury, and Mather, of Dorchester — to 
prepare a better version, a truer version, and a smoother and 
more metrical version, while it was sought to be more literal 



86 First Congregational Church, Randolph. 

also ; no easy task. Shepherd, of Cambridge, gave them the 
following charge : 

" Ye Roxbury poets, keep clear of the crime 
Of missing to give us a very good rhyme ; 
And you of Dorchester, your verses lengthen, 
And with the text's own words you will them strengthen." 

This book, called the Bay Psalm-Book, or The New Eng- 
land Psalm-Book, was very acceptable to the churches at the 
very first ; and after having passed through a little more 
refinement by President Dunster and others, became the 
standard book in this country. It also proved to be very 
popular in England and Scotland, passing through eighteen 
or twenty editions in England, and twenty-two in Scotland. 
This shows the high scholarship of our early ministry. It 
was the first book printed in America — 1640. No English 
Bible was printed in America till something like one hundred 
and forty years afterward. Bibles being imported from Eng- 
land and Scotland. These Bibles from the old countries often 
contained the New England Psalm-Book bound up with them, 
as is still true of Scotch Bibles with Rouse s Version in the 
back part. This book, in its original style, held its place for 
more than one hundred years. In 1758, one hundred and 
eighteen years after its first edition, it was revised again, by 
Prince, of Boston, and enlarged with the addition of other 
hymns. In this Church it continued to be used till near the 
close of the Rev. Mr. Taft's ministry, when it was superseded 
by Dr. Watts s Psalms and Hymns — a book universally ac- 
knowledged by all English-speaking people to be vastly supe- 
rior to anything that had yet appeared — and, with the 
addition of Dr. Worcester s Select Hymns, retained its place 
in this congregation till the dedication of this goodly temple, 
this Beauty of Holiness, in which we are now assembled, 
when the Sabbath Hymn and Ttme-Book was introduced, and 
remained in use twenty years, or till 1880, when Spiritual 
Songs was introduced. 

People were willing to take time for singing in those good 



One Hundred and Fiftieth Anniversary. 87 

old times of stout men and strong women — men, who had 
spent the week in clearing and tilling the land and laying 
stone wall, or fighting the Indians — women, who had walked 
to and fro by the spinning-wheel, or whose strong arms 
brought the weaver's beam with a boom against the woof. 
In our superior times of refinement and delicacy, or of hurry 
and snap, it is difficult to get five stanzas sung, even in the 
quickstep movement so frequent at the present day. But 
they were accustomed to sing the whole Psalm, longer or 
shorter as it might be, containing sixty or one hundred and 
twenty lines ; and the whole congregation sang, and stood 
through it all. We are told that they sometimes employed a 
full half-hour in this service of a single Psalm, and neither 
faltered nor fainted in their devotion. Well did they earn 
the name of the "standing order." 

The singing in public worship, as I have already remarked, 
was by the whole congregation — /. e., all that could sing, or 
thought they could. And the point of individual active par- 
ticipation by lip and voice was urged so strenuously upon the 
people by the ministry, that they who did not actively unite 
in the service of song — though it were only in making "a loud 
noise unto the Lord " — were deemed quite undutiful and neg- 
ligent. The following anecdote illustrates the ideas and 
spirit of the times as to participation in worship, and as to 
the freedom of the clergy in prompting to particular duty. 
A Scotch minister, settled at Pelham, observing on a Sunday 
a man inactive in the service of song, (at the close of a stanza) 
addressed him thus : " Will'um, who have ye hired to serve 
the Lord for you to-day .-^ and how moch do ye gi'e him } " 

Church music was held in as much reverence as the Psalms 
themselves. It was the custom of the people to take off their 
hats, and exhibit as much respect as for Scripture or for 
prayer, when they were within the hearing of a sacred tune, 
even if they were where they could not understand the words. 
This same spirit of reverence is still found in some parts of 
the world where the lofty and sacred grandeur of choral song 



88 First Congregational Church, Randolph. 

of the whole congregation is the prevailing style. An Amer- 
ican gentleman attended an Armenian church in Constanti- 
nople, some years ago, and was pleased with the music, 
though he could not understand the words. They all sang 
the same part, and, while singing, they had their eyes closed, 
and the tears trickled down their cheeks. On inquiring what 
the hymn was, one of the missionaries informed him that it 
was " Rock of Ages, cleft for me." 

WHAT WERE THE TUNES AND THE STYLE OF SINGING IN THE 
DIFFERENT PERIODS 1 

There are three distinct periods in the history of music in 
this Church, and also in the history of most of the churches 
of New England : (i) the period preceding the influence of 
Billings ; (2) the period when his influence was predominant ; 
(3) the period after his influence began to wane. 

The style and quality as well as the fewness of the tunes of 
the early period would by no means satisfy the cultured taste 
of the present age, or bear any comparison with the confusing 
variety and burdensome number of our hymns and tunes. 

The music used for a long time — largely till Watts super- 
seded the Bay Psalm-Book — was taken from Ravencroffs 
Collection, a book published in 161 8, containing excellent 
harmonies and many tunes, a standard book in England and 
the Colonies. The tunes actually used in the congregations 
were written or printed in the Psalm-Book on the left side of 
the page, the air only being given, but the number rarely 
exceeded five or six. 

Though music was taught in Harvard College for a number 
of years after its establishment, it soon became a marvelous 
defect that little or no effort was made to teach the young 
throughout the various towns to read music. The sad result 
began to appear early, and continued for more than a hundred 
years — more than a hundred and fifty in some places. The 
singing became in a few years, in most congregations, wholly 
by rote, without any standard of the correctness of a single 



One Hundred and Fiftieth Atmiversary. 89 

tune in even the minds of the leaders. Some congregations 
had to confine themselves to two tunes, for want of a knowl- 
edge of more ; and the few tunes they did sing were sung so 
variously in the different congregations, as hardly to keep 
their identity. The mass of the people failing to learn to read 
music, musical notes became unmeaning signs ; and they soon 
became satisfied to sing by rote, and even strongly wedded to 
the fanciful style of the different and differing leaders of their 
several towns and congregations. These leaders often used 
the largest liberty in " piling on the agony " of their wonderful 
trills and emotional expressions ; and as they did not under- 
stand the musical signs of the tunes printed in their psalm- 
books, the great majority of the people failed to purchase 
these books, and thus became dependent on the piecemeal 
reading in public of the very words which they were to sing. 
This is the origin of "lining off." or "deaconing off," the 
psalm in this country. But the custom had become prevalent 
in England first; for in 1664 the Westminster Assembly rec- 
ommended to the churches not supplied with books, to read 
line by line. Indeed, the practice began a century before, in 
Germany, by the zeal of Luther that all should sing ; because 
at that age thousands, and perhaps millions, on the Continent 
and the British Isles were unable to read at all, and if they 
were to participate in song, they must have the words given 
them beforehand. It took thirty or forty years to introduce 
this custom of " lining off." It continued in some places for 
nearly one hundred and fifty years, and was the occasion of 
great controversy in its removal. Most of the ministry with 
any musical taste favored its removal; though some, like 
Father Niles, of Braintree, were immoderately persistent for 
its continuance. It was never adopted by some churches. 
But it is not strange, to those who will think it all through, 
that multitudes should be very loth to give up a form of ser- 
vice which had been associated with all their religious life — 
family life, social life, as well as Sabbath-day life; and, more- 
over, if well done (as in some places it doubtless was), it had 



90 First Congregational Church, Randolph. 

a certain dignity about it, and responsive sociality, securing 
general active participation in the act of worship, which hardly 
any other method has so fully secured. I have heard this 
method where a whole stanza was read at a time, which was 
so impressive that I shall never forget it. It is the practice 
of some Canadian churches at the present day, and would be 
a pleasing variety in any church on any Sabbath. But the 
giving up of reading by lines involved the giving up of most 
of these impressive points. Voices that had been vocal for 
fifty or seventy years were told by implication that the com- 
fort of the congregation would be promoted and the worship 
of God improved by their silence. No wonder their self- 
respect— not to say their vanity — felt a little stunned at 
the news, and might not reach a swift acceptance of the 
truthfulness of such an announcement. The custom of lining 
off held its way in this Church, as in Braintree, till beyond 
1781. 

TUNES. 

The same tunes were sung for nearly one hundred and fifty 
years; that is, from the landing of the Pilgrims till 1770. 
A very few additions were made ; but these additions did 
not equal the number that became " confused, frittered away, 
and lost" in congregations where not a person, not even the 
leader chosen in town-meeting, could read music, and where a 
person who could sing a tune by notes without having first 
heard it sung by another was looked upon as one who had 
caught a trick so extraordinary that he must have learned the 
secret art from the great master of tricks. 

The tunes of this early period were all sung in unison — 
that is, with all voices on one part — many, of course, trying 
to reach tones too high or too low for their native capacity ; 
and, with leaders who had no standard of pitch, and no 
tuning-fork or pitch-pipe, with no instrument whatever to give 
the key, it is easy to imagine what confusion, breakdowns, 
and attempted continuances worse than failures, would some- 
times result. 



One Hundred and Fiftieth Anniversary. 91 

[The ancient choir were here invited to stand and sing together the air alone, 
the leader of the choir, John B. Thayer, giving the key by a pitch-pipe which 
had been used by Benjamin Pierce in the First Church of Dorchester. It is now 
in the possession of the New England Historical and Genealogical Society, 
Boston. The words sung were two stanzas of the i8th Psalm of SternJiold and 
Hopkins's Version, to a tune printed by their side.] 

Nevertheless, there were musical souls to whom the defects 
and failures spoken of were a constant trouble. They were 
endowed by nature with correct ears and tuneful voices, and 
some of them — especially some of the ministry — kept them- 
selves acquainted with the progress of music in the old coun- 
tries, and they acquired skill in the art themselves. They 
sighed most earnestly for what, with due pains, might be 
.enjoyed by the people of the colonies also, and they finally 
set themselves persistently to work a reformation in this part 
of worship. It is a remarkable fact that during this very 
period of neglect to learn to read music in America much of 
the sublimest music that has ever been written was composed. 
I refer to the oratorios, the requiems and masses and anthems 
of Handel and Haydn and Mozart. These the musical 
people of America knew something about, as well as the 
greater variety and correct text of the tunes in Ravencroff s 
Coliectioji, which was the fountain of nearly all church tunes 
of the times. 

About 1 7 14 Rev, John Tufts, of Newburyport, published a 
book of tunes, twenty-eight in number, " with rules," as he 
said, so that the tunes might be learned with greatest ease 
and speed imaginable. This was the first book of the kind in 
New England. The number of tunes, twenty-eight, was con- 
sidered enormous. They were in three parts, reprinted from 
Ravencroft, purely choral — e.g., York, Mear, and others 
similar. 

Rev. Thomas Walter, of Roxbury, edited in 1721 the first 
book with the art of singing by note, and with bars to divide 
the measure. He says : " So little attention was paid to time, 
and they became so slow and drawling, that they were often 
one or two words apart, and the whole exercise sounded like 



92 First Congregational Church, Randolph. 

five hundred tunes roared out at the same time, producing 
noises beyond expression hideous, and sometimes so pro- 
longed that I myself have paused twice to take breath on one 
note, while others were shaking out their turns and quavers, 
though no two men in the congregation quavered alike or 
together. And the tunes, for want of a standard note-book, 
were left to the mercy of every unskillful throat to chop and 
alter, twist and change, according to their infinitely divers 
and no less odd humors and fancies." This book received 
the special recommendation of the clergy in and around Bos- 
ton, who say : " We would encourage all, and especially the 
young people, to accomplish themselves with skill to sing the 
songs of the Lord, according to the good rules of psalmody, 
hoping that the consequence of it will be that not only the 
assemblies of Zion will decently and orderly carry on this 
exercise of piety, but also it will be the more introduced into 
private families, and become part of our family sacrifice." 
Signed by fourteen ministers. 

Our fathers often — oftener than now, I judge — sang at 
family prayers, as in Scotland, to which custom Burns alludes 
in his "Cotter's Saturday Night:" 

" They chant their artless notes in simple guise ; 
They tune their hearts, by far the noblest aim. 
Perhaps Dundee's wild, warbling notes arise, 
Or plaintive Martyrs, worthy of the name ; 
Or noble Elgin beats the heavenward flame. 
The sweetest far of Scotia's holy lays. 
Compared with these, Italian trills are tame. 
The tickled ears no heartfelt raptures raise ; 
Nae unison hae they with our Creator's praise." 

The tunes in these books were nearly all written in whole 
notes or half notes, so that the movement was very slow — 
e.g., Bangor, Mear. 

But wherever these books were procured and studied, a 
greater variety of tunes was prepared, and they, whose interest 
in a better style of song had induced them to learn both the 
art and the tunes, were eager to have them used. And yet 



One Hundred and Fiftieth Anniversary. 93 

the introduction of new tunes in indefinite numbers at once 
silenced a large portion of the congregation — that portion 
who had not learned them. Moreover, those who had learned 
to sing by rule desired to sing the tunes already familiar as 
they were actually printed — a difference quite amazing in 
many a tune. Hence arose the controversy and division 
about singing by note and singing by rote, which took place 
in almost every parish. This was not a controversy over 
differing tastes and degrees of knowledge merely, or chiefly, 
though that had something to do with it; but rather it was a 
question of congregational worship — of individual, active 
service — which had been the thought and sentiment and 
practice of generations. And if men were disciplined (as in 
Braintree they were, when this Church was yet a part of that), 
it was because, by their practice, they were forcing away a 
majority of the people from what they deemed their duty and 
privilege ; for singing by note involved the singing by a sep- 
arate number, much more absolutely than would be true now. 
And choirs did follow in due time in all parishes. This, in 
their view, was singing by proxy, serving God by proxy, the 
essence of Popery. This is their meaning when they said, 
" Singing by note leads to Popery." There is a shade of 
truth in it, enough to be pleaded by those who could make 
that plea more easily than take the trouble to learn to sing 
themselves. 

The custom of "lining off" continued here till between 

1780 and 1790 — about one hundred years ago. It went 
silently out when Watts s Psalms and Hymns came in. In 

1 78 1 the parish voted, "The singers shall sing half the time 
by reading one line, and half the time by reading two lines." 
The parish regularly appointed " tuners " to raise the tune 
and direct the time and pitch, which was given by a wooden 
pitch-pipe, to which the singers answered by sounding forth 
the key, and going up and down the octave, by sounding the 
third, fifth, and eighth notes. 

The deacons were the "tuners" as well as the liners-off till 



94 Fh'st Co7tgregational Church, Randolph. 

1764; but as Deacon Bass and Deacon Wild were not singers, 
the precinct appointed Captain Thomas Penniman and Elijah 
French " tuners." Elijah French had a powerful tenor voice, 
and usually acted as chief " tuner." Captain Penniman led 
off the base voices. 

In 1773 the precinct agreed to sing a collection of tunes, 
and appointed a committee to make the collection. These 
votes show that they began to sing in parts, no longer in 
simple unison, and were reaching after greater variety. Simeon 
Thayer and Ephraim Thayer were appointed additional 
" tuners." 

In 1778, "Voted, that the singers sit in the three back seats 
below, in front of the pulpit, both on the men's and women's 
side." Elisha Wales and Lieutenant Isaac Thayer were added 
to the choristers. From this time Captain Elisha Wales 
became and continued chief chorister for twenty years. 

In 1786 it was "Voted, to cut the women's gallery for the 
singers, and that the singers shall have the upper part of 
them " ; that is, nearest the pulpit. At this meeting, also, 
Silas Paine was appointed chorister. Henceforth the singing 
was chiefly by the choir, though not to the exclusion of the 
congregation. 

The collections of tunes by Rev. John Tufts and Rev. 
Thomas Walter were chiefly used before 1750. 

In 1770 William Billings published Yivs, Nezv England Psalm- 
Book. No American had published an original tune before 
Billings. He was the pioneer of choirs, public singing- 
schools, and concerts. He was the first writer of American 
music, who by his teachings and publications awakened a 
musical enthusiasm throughout New England. A book im- 
ported from England contained the first fugue tunes seen in 
America, such as the 34th Psalm, whose words were: 

" Through all the changing scenes of life, 
In trouble and in joy, 
The praises of my God shall still 
My heart and tongue employ." 



One Hundred and Fiftieth Anniversary. 95 

This class of tunes seems to have excited the attention and 
awakened the genius of Billings (who was born in Boston 
October 7, 1747; died, September, 1800). His fondness for 
the fugue — not to say his extravagance of delight — is 
shown in his preface to the Continental Harmony. He writes : 
" It is an old maxim that variety is always pleasing, and it is 
well known that there is more variety in one piece of fugue 
music than in twenty pieces of plain song; for while the 
tones do sweetly coincide and agree, the words are seemingly 
engaged in a musical warfare ; and excuse the paradox if I 
further add, that each part seems determined, by dint of 
harmony and strength of accent, to drown his competitor in 
an ocean of harmony; and while each part is thus mutually 
striving for the mastery and sweetly contending for the vic- 
tory, the audience are most luxuriously entertained and ex- 
ceedingly delighted. In the mean time their minds are 
surprisingly agitated and extremely fluctuated, sometimes 
declaring in favor of one part and sometimes of another. 
Now the solemn bass demands their attention, now the manly 
tenor, now the lofty counter, now the volatile treble — now 
here, now there, now here again. Oh, enchanting ! Oh, 
ecstatic ! Push on, push on, ye sons of harmony, and 

" Discharge your deep-mouthed cannon, full fraught with diapason. 
May you, Maestoso, rush on to choro grando. 
And then with vigoroso let fly your diapentes 
About our nervous system." 

Many circumstances combined to introduce his music be- 
sides the bewitching nature of its movement — such a contrast 
to the slow, dragging movement of the preceding singing of 
the slow chorals. He was a zealous patriot, and great friend 
of the greater patriot, Samuel Adams, who was also an ardent 
lover of music. Adams and the late Rev. Dr. Pierce, of 
Brookline, used to stand side by side in the choir of the Old 
South Church, Boston, and in concerts. 

Patriotic songs had been unknown in this country till this 
period. Now {1770-75) the people were ripe for them. Bil- 



96 First Congregational Church, Randolph. 

lings procured or composed words combining religion and 
patriotism ; and the single tune of Chester, with the following 
words attached, became a mighty power to excite the spirit of 
resistance to oppressive regal power: 

" Let tyrants shake their iron rod, 

And slavery clank her galling chains; 
We'll fear them not, we'll trust in God — 
New England's God forever reigns. 

" The foe comes on with haughty stride ; 
Our troops advance with martial noise : 
Their veterans flee before our arms. 
And generals yield to beardless boys." 

These words and this tune were learned by ev^ery choir, by 
every child in every family, and were sung in city and coun- 
try, in field and forest, and did more than any one thing else 
to inspire the spirit of independence in those critical times 
before and during the Revolutionary War. 

Billings had so much originality and native talent, whatever 
may be said of his defects in other directions, that many of 
his melodies and some of his tunes, in almost their original 
form, will outlive thousands of more modern airs. There is 
so much merit in some of his airs, or melodies, that some of 
the greatest masters of Europe have been heard to say that 
if they could write an air like some of his, they should con- 
sider their names immortalized. The introduction of his 
fugue tunes into a congregation effectually broke up the 
" lining off " process wherever it still lingered ; for it would 
be simply impossible to pursue it with such a convoluted con- 
volution and processional tramp of words and melodies. This 
much of good, at least, came of their use. Yet notwithstand- 
ing their apparent variety, there is a sa^neness felt in their 
positive peculiarity, so distinct from everything else, that they 
soon tire, when they become exclusive or predominant in use. 
Their popularity was therefore temporary, though they con- 
stitute a variety which every choir should occasionally employ. 
They retained their place for a generation ; and our Stoughton 



Ofte Hundred and Fiftieth Anniversary. 97 

Society is likely to perpetuate a certain love of them for gen- 
erations to come. They abounded in minor keys, almost 
equally with the major, and expressed well both plaintive and 
joyous emotions. 

[Specimens sung by the choir, as before : Complaint, minor ; Invitation, 
major ; Dying Christian ; Anthem.] 

But another special objection to the fugue tunes was, and is, 
that to very many minds they are a curiosity and amusement 
rather than an inspiration to devotion ; and therefore many 
thoughtful minds craved for tunes more solid, sweet, and 
purely churchly, with melodies, harmony, and time better 
adapted to express, with simple directness, the emotions of 
the heart, too profoundly occupied with its worship to relish a 
curiosity of musical movement. 

One peculiarity of sacred song, which prevailed for at least 
a hundred years, in the history of this Church, and every- 
where else in the Reformed churches, was the great number 
and frequent use of minor tunes. I have found fifty-four 
minors in a book containing only about one hundred tunes, 
published in 181 1. Some of them are very rich and impress- 
ive in melody and harmony, and it is an unspeakable loss 
that they are so seldom used at the present day. In some 
hymn and tune-books I have failed to find a full minor like 
Butford, or Martyrs, or Bangor, in a list of three hundred 
tunes. 

[Burford ••N2LS here sung.] 

The Village Harmony followed Billings's books, but was not 
sufficiently distinct from them to satisfy the tastes and views 
of the more cultured minds. The successive editions of the 
Bridgewater Collection had a great influence throughout this 
whole region in raising the standard of song, and providing 
tunes of a truly dignified and devout character. The first 
edition was published in 1802, and it went through twenty-four 
editions up to 1834. 

Lowell Mason's influence came in next, and continued for 



98 First Congregational CImtcJi, Randolph. 

more than forty years, and is still felt throughout the land. 
His books were used more than any or all others, after they 
began to be published, until his death ; and in the Sabbath 
Hymn and Tune-Book, as well as in other books, are still 
largely in use. One of his best efforts has been the compo- 
sition of several hymn anthems, wherein is a succession of 
melodies and harmonies, and changes of time and key from 
major to minor and back again, in order to express more com- 
pletely the varying sentiment of the differing stanzas. He 
was very successful in this direction — a direction wherein 
lies a field open for future usefulness and renown for other 
composers. One of his most delightful and impressive en- 
deavors of this kind is the hymn anthem beginning with the 
words, 

" Plunged in a gulf of dark despair," 

the singing of which shows at once how much finer the effect 
is than it is to repeat the same strains to verses differing so 
greatly in their emotional character. 

Mr. Mason published many chants in his tune-books, and 
finally a Book of Chants, which had large use in many 
churches, but never came into any considerable use in others, 
which thereby brought a great loss upon themselves — a loss 
which I take occasion to express the hope will be made up by 
their more frequent use in the future. And I invite the choir 
to sing one of the most absolutely simple chants, to show how 
expressive their skillful and tasteful use may be. 

[23d Psalm, Chant in Carmina Sacra, was then given.] 
INSTRUMENTS. 

In the early history of this, as well as nearly every other 
church in New England, no instruments whatever were used 
in public worship. Some directions in some of the early 
psalm-books imply that they did not use even a pitch-pipe or 
tuning-fork, and had to rely on the uncertain guess or intuition 
of the tuner, who often led them astray. Instruments had 



One Himdi'ed and Fiftieth Anniversary. 99 

been so prominent in loudness in the Papal and national 
churches, and especially the organ had been so much em- 
ployed in response to the priest at the Papal altar sounding 
out his unknown Latin, that all their dislike of Papal doctrine 
and parade was transferred to the instrument itself. This 
antipathy prevailed throughout the land, and has not yet 
ceased in some branches of the Christian Church. A Scotch 
minister has recently called an organ " a box of whistles ; " 
and during this very summer the General Assembly of the 
United Presbyterian Church has been discussing the ques- 
tion of the introduction of musical instruments into church 
service. 

The town of Berkeley was named after Bishop Berkeley. 
In response to the compliment, the good bishop sent them 
over an organ for their church. They called a town-meeting 
to see what action the town would take as to its reception. 
After due discussion, they sent (for substance) the following 
communication: " Believing an organ a snare of the devil to 
entrap unwary souls, we respectfully decline to receive it." 
It was afterward given to an Episcopal Church in Newport, 
R. I. 

Finally, some kind of a gauge to the voice was so obvious a 
necessity that wooden pitch-pipes came into general use. 
They are as rarely to be found at present as the psalm-books 
preceding Watts. It was not till toward the close of the last 
century that musical instruments were brought into church 
use in this town. The bass-viol first, then the double-bass, 
played successively by Martin Hudson, Joseph Whitcomb, 
James Madison French, and Alfred Whitcomb, who still plays 
it when it is used ; then the clarionet, the flute, and at length 
the violin. These various instruments were generally well 
played, often very finely — even the violin so skillfully as to 
reconcile almost all minds to its use — till the present organ 
was procured, which, by its power and numerous stops, has 
superseded them all, and has done it so well that I doubt not 
the good Quaker would be satisfied who, when his neighbor- 



100 First Cojigregational Church, Randolph. 

ing Church were trying their new organ, slipped in to hear it 
too, and, when rallied upon the point that he should be listen- 
ing to an organ, replied, " If thee will worship God by ma- 
chinery, I want to know that thee has a good one." 

SINGING-SCHOOLS. 

Singing-schools, so common in this century, were almost 
unknown before 1800. The first known in this town was 
taught by Capt. Elisha Wales in East Randolph in 1800. In 
1801 and 1802 Isaac Alden taught in the old Turner Tavern; 
Jacob Whitcomb at various times, and probably in both parts 
of the town ; and it is likewise true that most of the leaders of 
the choir, Nathaniel Hunt, Lieut. Samuel Thayer, and Ansel 
Hudson, taught at different times. Mr. Nathaniel Shaw, from 
Abington, was a distinguished singer in his day. He it was 
who placed the voices on their appropriate parts. Before his 
day the air was sung by men's voices, the tenor by the women, 
as it was regarded an immodest presumption for women to 
take the leading part. This, like almost every step of ad- 
vance, was a point of difficulty, and occasioned much disturb- 
ance. Some men were unwilling to give up the air, and some 
women who had been accustomed to sing the tenor were un- 
willing to sing the air, and continued to sing the tenor during 
their musical lives. Mr. Shaw first trained pupils in this 
town on the intervals of the scales, and taught them the 
exact import of flats and sharps and the signatures of differ- 
ent keys. He was a prominent singer in this part of the 
State; for when the Neponset Musical Society, embracing 
members from Abington, Weymouth, Randolph, Milton, 
Braintree, Quincy, and Dorchester, was formed, he was chosen 
leader. He was teaching when Rev. Mr. Pomeroy was in- 
stalled, and sang on that occasion under the leading of Lieut. 
Samuel Thayer. Henry Thayer was an acceptable and effi- 
cient teacher in and out of the town for a number of years — 
i. e., between 1825 and 1840. He was distinguished for a 
full, clear, and smooth voice. John B. Thayer, the present 



One Hundred and Fiftieth Anniversary. lOi 

leader of the Choral Club, has been an efficient promoter of 
sacred song. Lyman F. Brackett, the present organist and 
leader of the Church choir, has been raising the standard of 
attainment by his unwearied drill and rigid demand of exact- 
ness of time, tune, and expression. 

Mr. Marcus Colburn, from Dorchester, taught for successive 
seasons in this and the neighboring towns ; and by his clear, 
sweet, yet powerful voice — a voice capable of the lower bass 
notes, yet reaching with ease and sweetness the highest notes 
of the air — gave a conception of what the human voice could 
do which few persons had before. He had great genius in 
imparting boldness and enthusiasm in effort to reach a higher 
degree of art. He was persistent in his faithfulness of drill, 
till his conception of art was reached by his pupils. His 
influence is still felt. It was a loss to New England when he 
transferred his residence and work to New York city. 

LEADERS. 

So far as I have been able to learn them, their names were : 
Capt. Elisha Wales, 20 years ; Samuel Linfield ; Jacob Whit- 
comb; Nathaniel Hunt; Lieut. Samuel Thayer ; Ansel Hud- 
son ; Henry Thayer ; David Burrell, 20 years ; Solomon L. 
White; Horace Niles ; Gilman Leeds; Ephraim Mann; John 
B. Thayer ; Samuel Capen ; Lyman F. Brackett, present or- 
ganist and leader. 

TUNE-BOOKS. 

The chief tune-books, since any have been used at all — 
tunes in the Psalm-Book being used before — are Village 
Harmony ; Bridgewater Collection, the later editions being 
called Temple Carmina ; Handel and Haydn Society s Collec- 
tion ; Stoughton Collect 1071, 1828; Boston Academy Collection, 
1833 ; Carmina Sacra, 1843 ; Psalmody ; and beyond this, too 
many to mention. 

The Stoughton Society and the Choral Club have kept up a 
lively interest in sacred music in the town, and have been of 



102 First Congregational Church, Randolph. 

immense value to the service of song in the house of the 
Lord. For one hundred years there has been no lack of 
numbers and skillful voices and instruments. The choirs 
fifty years ago were greater in number, though of less art ; and 
on Thanksgiving Day, especially, gave such a display of mu- 
sical effort as to call out a full house, and receive themseh^es 
such an impulse by previous drill as to improve the singing 
for many months. May the good time return. 

The Choral Club — about seventy-five in number — have 
now attained such strength and skill in art that they can per- 
form such oratorios and cantatas as Belshazzars Feast and 
Esther, to the delight of all who hear. 

Note. — I have been informed by Mr. David Burrell that the first band of 
martial music in the State was formed in this town, and, after varied fortunes, 
finally sold its charter to a company who style themselves the Boston Brigade 
Band, and who thereby claim to be still the oldest band in the State. 



annitiersarg elijoire. 

In connection with the address on music, the names of the 
persons composing the regular Church Choir at the time of 
this Anniversary are here recorded : 

Organist and director — Lyman F, Brackett. Soprano 
voices — Mrs. William Porter, Mrs. Samuel A. Capen, Miss 
Emma C. Belcher, Miss Edith A. Leach, Miss Annie B. 
Bullock, Miss Sarah C. Belcher. Alto voices — Mrs. Mary 
E. Alden, Miss E. Lilla Burrill, Miss Nellie E. Bullock. 
Tenor voices — Samuel A. Capen, William Porter, Ephraim 
Mann, Isaac Niles, Dr. F. C. Granger. Bass voices — George 
B. Bryant, Daniel B. White, Winslow Battles, Benjamin Bel- 
cher, Gustavus Thayer. 

The Chorus Choir, organized especially for the singing of 
old-time music on this occasion, occupied the large gallery 
opposite the pulpit, and was composed of the following per- 
sons : 



One Hundred and Fiftieth Anniversary. 103 

Conductor — John Berry Thayer. Soprano voices — Mrs. 
William H. Howe, Mrs. N. C. Berry, Mrs. H. C. Alden, 
Mrs. Ephraim Mann, Mrs. Hiram Wilde, Mrs. Cliarles C. 
Farnham, Mrs. George H. Nichols, Mrs. Nelson Mann, Mrs. 
Herbert A. Howard, Mrs. John Warren Belcher, Mrs. Henry 
A. Belcher, Mrs. Francis A. Belcher, Mrs. Daniel B. White, 
Mrs. G. T. Breitling, Mrs. William H. Balkam, Jr., Mrs. Em- 
erson A, Leach, Miss Georgia M. Hawes, Miss Mary Wales 
French, Miss Eleanor Belcher. Alto voices — Mrs. J. White 
Belcher, Mrs. Cyrus N. Thayer, Mrs. Wales B. Thayer, Mrs. 
John May, Mrs. George Baker, Mrs. Royal French, Mrs. Dex- 
ter Clark, Mrs. Melvine Clark, Miss Minnie W. Corliss, Miss 
Maria L. Corliss, Miss Sarah V. Wild. Tenor voices — Solomon 
L. White, Nelson Mann, Frank Bodwell, Lucius W. Payne, 
Lucius H. Packard, L. Morton Packard, Marcus Perkins, 
Edwin M. Lovering, Emerson A. Leach, Franklin Badger, 
Bass voices — David Burrell, John May, David W. Tucker, 
William Clark, Isaac French, Moses Whitcomb, Allen A. 
Belcher, Linus Belcher, Wales French, Dr. C. C, Farnham, 
Royal French, Cyrus N. Thayer, Wales B. Thayer, John 
Broderick, Thomas West, Daniel H. Huxford, Arthur C. Wads- 
worth. Orchestra — Alfred W. Whitcomb, Sidney French, 
Henry French, George B. Bryant, Charles Bryant, Charles H. 
Howard, Jr. 



% Mtttf^ of tl)c 3ilncicnt "^minct/^ tlje 9S^oticrn 

BY HON. J. WHITE BELCHER. 

Ladies and Gentlemen : Having listened with pleasure 
to the interesting, instructive, and eloquent remarks of the 
gentlemen who have preceded me during the day and even- 
ing, had I followed my own inclination I should still remain a 
listener, rather than attempt to add anything to what has 
already been said in the observance of the one hundred and 
fiftieth anniversary of the formation of this Church. 

The subject which has been assigned me affords so wide a 
range for thought and consideration, covering a period of 
written and traditional history for more than one hundred and 
fifty years, that, for want of time, many important matters 
must necessarily be omitted, while only brief allusion can be 
made to others. But, standing before you in the discharge of 
my duty at the present time, I must say it is always with 
feelings of honest pride, as well as of responsibility, that I 
speak for the town of Randolph, and of its relation to those 
principles and institutions which are and always have been 
the foundation of good government and the well-being of 
society. For I believe, so far as my knowledge and informa- 
tion extend, that, from the date of the first settlement of this 
town to the present time, no more moral, honest, industrious, 
or intelligent community has existed in any city, town, pre- 
cinct, or parish in this Commonwealth, according to its popu- 
lation, than that within our own borders. I do not wish, 



One Hundred and Fiftieth Anniversary. 105 

however, to be understood as conveying the impression that I 
believe there have been no wrongs here which ought to have 
been righted ; but I do believe the wrongs which may have 
existed here have existed, to a greater or less extent, in every 
other community. 

The occasion which has called us together today carries us 
back to events which transpired and to men who lived one 
hundred and fifty years ago; and, although we are surrounded 
by so many pleasant associations, enjoyments, and privileges, 
and after all that has been said today, cannot we picture to 
ourselves for a moment the character of those early settlers, 
their surroundings, their trials and sufferings, their means, their 
wants, when the first settlement was here made in 1712, and 
when the first rude habitation was here erected, in an un- 
broken wilderness, near the spot where we are now assembled ? 

History informs us that the pioneers in the settlement 
of this new country had to contend with great difificulties. 
Obstacles met them at every step. Their means of com- 
munication with other settlements, and their facilities for 
acquiring knowledge, were exceedingly limited. A wilderness 
was before them to subdue, savage enemies to watch and 
resist. They had to encounter perils and overcome hardships 
in many forms. Their examples of patience and persever- 
ance, of energy and endurance, are worthy of imitation in the 
attainment of every great object. 

It would be interesting, if time permitted, to go back before 
parishes and townships were established, to 16 14, and exam- 
ine the history of the region we now inhabit, as a part of the 
six Eastern States, when Capt. John Smith first gave them 
the name of New England; and when the forests — where 
are now the cities, towns, and villages throughout our own 
Commonwealth, so beautiful and attractive — were inhabited 
by more than thirty thousand Massachusetts Indians ; or 
to 1625, when Capt. Wollaston came over from England 
with about thirty others, and began a plantation in what is 
now Quincy, and gave it the name of Wollaston, subsequently 



io6 First Congregational Church, Randolph. 

called Merry Mount, and Mount Dagan, more recently Mount 
Wollaston or Wollaston Heights, of which Randolph was 
originally a part, and which was the second permanent settle- 
ment by civilized men in New England, the other being at 
Plymouth. 

Although the written history from 1625 to 1640 is incom- 
plete, and the traditional history somewhat contradictory, yet 
they are sufificient to convince us that the early settlers were 
but the pioneers preparatory to the organization of a perma- 
nent township. In the year 1634 Mount Wollaston was an- 
nexed, by order of the General Court, to the town of Boston, 

Passing over many other important matters from the time 
of the first settlement at Wollaston, we find the people had 
made some effort to be incorporated as a separate town ; and 
from the records it appears that, on May 13, 1640, at a 
general court of election held at Boston, the petition of the 
inhabitants of Mount Wollaston was " voted and granted them 
to be a town," to be called Braintree, named from a village in 
Essex County, England, and meaning a town near a river, which 
was the Monatiquot. It included the territory now lying in 
Quincy, Braintree, Randolph, and Holbrook. The present 
town of Braintree constituted the middle precinct, Quincy 
the north, and Randolph the south precinct. Most of the 
early history refers to the territory lying in Braintree and 
Quincy until the south precinct was established. There were 
certain grants of land made to parties after the incorporation 
of the town of Braintree, to people living in the territory of 
Boston, whose names appear in the old descriptions of the 
town, and wliich grants were exempted from tiie common 
charges incident to the township, causing much dissatisfaction 
to the people of the town. Bendall's farm was of this char- 
acter, and was probably the tract of land granted in July, 
164.1, to one Edward Bendall. 

It is described as lying in the westerly part of Randolph, 
between the site of the present Congregational meeting-house 
on the south and the Baptist meeting-house on the north. 



One Hundred and Fiftieth Anniversary. 107 

This farm comprised four hundred acres — about one fifteenth 
part of the whole territory of our present town. According 
to the custom of those times, the purchaser of a parcel of 
land actually went upon the premises and took into his pos- 
session a " turf of the land and a twig of the trees " growing 
thereon, in addition to the deed of conveyance. 

Braintree was voted a distinct parish November 3, 1708, 
and confirmed by the General Court soon after, Randolph, 
the southerly portion of the new south precinct in Braintree, 
having increased in population, the inhabitants petitioned to 
be set off as a distinct parish, which was granted January 5, 
1728, but a few years prior to the formation of this Church, 
whose one hundred and fiftieth anniversary we observe to- 
day. The south precinct, now Randolph and Holbrook, was 
described as Quocheco, Cochato, and afterward Scadding — 
probably names transmitted by some of the Indian tribes. 

From this time commenced here the union of Church and 
State, or the precinct and parish ; that is to say, the precinct 
and the parish were one, and whatever matters related to the 
welfare of the parish also related to the welfare of the pre- 
cinct. The parish business was transacted at a precinct 
meeting, and the precinct business was transacted at a parish 
meeting, it being one and the same. 

The first precinct or parish meeting of which there is any 
record was held January 21, 1728, at which no business of 
importance was transacted. March 19, 1728, a second meet- 
ing was held, and John Niles, Jr., was chosen moderator; 
Isaac Newcomb, clerk ; Thomas Wales, treasurer ; John Niles, 
Jr., Benjamin Hayward, and Thomas Wales, assessors. Moses 
Curtis and Joseph Wales were chosen a committee " to agree 
with a minister." It was voted to raise sixty-five pounds for 
the support of the ministry, and thirty pounds for the pay- 
ment of services in the past, and ten pounds for necessary 
precinct expenses. 

April 20, 1730, at a precinct meeting, Thomas Wales was 
elected to hold the contribution-box for one year. It was also 



io8 First Congregational CJucrcJi, Randolph. 

voted that the precinct purchase a law-book ; Samuel Bass 
was chosen a committee for that purpose. The usual busi- 
ness transacted at precinct meetings was in relation to select- 
ing or providing for a minister, building or repairing the 
meeting-house, making provision for schools and precinct 
expenses, establishing boundary lines, and the like. The 
appropriations were not large, but in those days to many the 
assessments were quite burdensome. 

The town government in our day, consisting of the select- 
men, trustees, and school committee; the State government, 
consisting of the legislative and executive departments ; the 
national government, consisting of the two branches of Con- 
gress and the Chief Magistrate, with the various executive 
departments, are but the outgrowth of the precinct and parish 
system of one hundred and fifty years ago. 

You have been told today that the first meeting-house in 
this parish was erected in the year 1727. A few days ago I 
read in one of the daily papers an extract from a sermon 
preached recently in Boston, wherein it stated that the erec- 
tion of a meeting-house in any place means civilization, intel- 
ligence, morality, and religion. Such a statement was as 
true one hundred and fifty years ago as it is today, and no 
town or community can become prosperous and continue so 
without these essential elements. 

As early as 1728 there was an effort made to divide the 
town of Braintree, which was unsuccessful ; but sixty-two 
years later the people of the first parish gave their attention 
seriously to the subject, and in 1792 the north precinct of the 
old town of Braintree was incorporated into a distinct town 
by the name of Quincy, while John Hancock was goxernor of 
Massachusetts and Samuel Adams was lieutenant-governor. 
It was named in honor of Col. John Ouincy, who had pre- 
viously been the owner of the Mount Wollaston farm, which 
had given the first civilized name to the place. Omitting 
that which relates to Braintree and Quincy, I will speak only 
of what relates to the south precinct, now Randolph and 
Holbrook. 



Ofie Hundred and Fiftieth Aiiniversary. 109 

As early as 1729 the south precinct voted to petition the 
General Court for a township, to include a gore or tract of 
land that was a part of Stoughton, and so running to the 
partition line. A committee was chosen to treat with the 
Haywards, who lived on said land ; and unless that gore of 
land could be obtained, it was voted not to become a town- 
ship. Being unsuccessful in obtaining it, the project was 
given up for a time ; but, after much delay and opposition, on 
March 9, 1793, the south precinct of Braintree was incor- 
porated as an independent township by the name of Ran- 
dolph, in honor of Hon. Peyton Randolph, of Virginia, pres- 
ident of the lirst Congress of the Confederation. I wish 
the boys who are present this evening and who are now ten 
years of age — an age in life without much care or responsi- 
bility — to remember that when they reach the age of manhood 
and citizenship in the centennial year of the incorporation of 
this town, but eleven years from the ninth day of March 
next, upon them and others will devolve the duty of seeing 
that the event is not forgotten or allowed to pass unnoticed, 
but that it is observed in a manner appropriate for such an 
occasion. 

March 6, 1794, the first meeting of the parish was held for 
the transaction of parish business only, and the parish and 
town meetings have been separate ever since. Randolph 
at this time was a part of Suffolk County, Norfolk County 
not being incorporated until seventeen days after Randolph 
became a town. 

The first town meeting was held April i, 1793, in accord- 
ance with a provision contained in the act of incorporation. 
It was called by Samuel Niles, Esq., a justice of the peace — 
an office of no small importance in those early days. From 
the year 1793 to 18 14 the town meetings were held in Rev. 
Jonathan Strong's meeting-house, and subsequent to that time 
in the meeting-house, or vestry, which stood upon this spot, 
until the erection of a town house. 

Dr. Ephraim Wales was chosen to preside at the first meet- 



iio First Co7igregational CImrcJi, Randolph. 

ing of the town. The first vote passed was that all persons 
elected to any town office should serve without pay, which 
system prevailed for several years. Dr. Ebenezer Alden, the 
father of Dr. Alden recently deceased, whose wise counsels 
and Christian example are still fresh in our minds, and Joseph 
White, Jr., and Micah White, Jr., were elected the first select- 
men, assessors, and overseers of the poor. Richard Thayer, 
Edward Faxon, Luther French, and Ebenezer Crane were 
elected tithing-men, whose duty it was to preserve order in 
the church during divine service, to make complaint of any 
disorderly conduct, and to enforce the observance of the Sab- 
bath, The school committee consisted of seven persons : 
Eliphalet Sawin, Dr. Ebenezer Alden, Ichabod Holbrook, 
Elisha Wales, Samuel Linfield, Lott White, and Benjamin 
Mann. Seth Turner, Jr., was chosen constable and collector 
of taxes. A committee was chosen to divide the powder 
and balls with Braintree; also to build a powder-house. At a 
meeting held the same day for the election of State officers, 
John Hancock received seventy-five out of eighty votes cast 
for governor, and Samuel Adams received fifty-three out of 
fifty-four votes for lieutenant-governor, Samuel Bass, Esq,, 
was elected the first representative to the General Court from 
Randolph. 

In 1811, at a town meeting. Col. Seth Turner was chosen a 
committee to unite with another committee from Braintree 
and Ouincy to find the old town books of the former town of 
Braintree, and deposit said books in the hands and possession 
of some trusty person. After diligent inquiry for the past 
few weeks, I have been unable to discover who that trusty 
person was. 

There was a committee chosen, and continued for several 
years, to investigate what rights the town of Randolph had 
in the herring fishery in Braintree, The committee consisted 
of Col. Seth Turner, Samuel Bass, and Samuel Niles, In the 
records I find no report or decision as to the result of their 
investigation, and Randolph may still have rights in that 
enterprise. 



One Hundred and Fiftieth Anniversary. 1 1 1 

I hold in my hand the original record of the first assess- 
ment of taxes made in Randolph eighty-eight years ago, 
amounting to one hundred and eighty-nine pounds, seventeen 
shillings and fourpence. It contains but eight pages, of 
twenty lines each. 

In 1794 the amount raised by taxation was fifty pounds for 
schools, and three hundred pounds for reducing the town 
debt and payment of other expenses. In 1795 fifty pounds 
was raised for schools, and fifty pounds for town expenses. 
In 1800 ^500 was raised for town expenses, and $305 for 
schools. In the year 1801, and for several years afterward, it 
was voted not to send a representative to the General Court. 
Any person could vote who was twenty-one years of age, 
having a freehold estate within the Commonwealth of an 
annual income of three pounds, or any estate of the value of 
sixty pounds. The school money was divided by families. 

In 1802 $700 was raised for town expenses, and $300 for 
schools. In 1804 ^700 was appropriated for town expenses, 
and ^350 for schools; in 181 1, $600 for town expenses, and 
$500 for schools; in 1812, $500 for town expenses, and $500 
for schools. In 18 14 it was voted that the thanks of the 
town be presented to Micah White, Esq., for having presented 
the town with twenty-five dollars as a part of his compensa- 
tion as representative to the General Court. He was reelected, 
of course, and the following year he gave thirty dollars. 
In 18 [6 $1,000 was raised for town expenses, and $600 for 
schools, which amount has gradually increased year by year, 
amounting in 1880 to $29,000 for town expenses, and $10,000 
for schools. 

From the time of the first settlement of the town to the 
present, much attention has been given to the education of 
the young. Our ancestors never lost sight of the advantages 
to be gained in this direction. Among the earliest records of 
this precinct and town are those which relate to the estab- 
lishment and maintenance of schools. Particular mention is 
made of the fact that Braintree in its early days was distin- 
guished for its free schools. 



1 1 2 First Congregational Church, Randolph. 

The first direct payment by the town for the services of a 
school-teacher was April 2, 1770. Prior to that time a com- 
mittee from the south precinct drew its proportion of the 
school money from the town treasury, which amounted annu- 
ally to about twenty pounds. 

I have been informed that the first school-house in this 
precinct was built about the time of the erection of the first 
meeting-house, in 1727, and was located on land belonging 
to the precinct on what is now North Street, and near the 
present residence of Dr. Farnham. After being in use for 
many years, it was sold and removed to the open field south 
of the present residence of Col. Eleazar Beal, and, after being 
enlarged, was occupied as a dwelling until within a few years, 
when it was taken down. Some, however, believe it was the 
second school-house that was so removed which was erected 
in 1737. Its dimensions were sixteen by twenty feet, and 
one story high. It was several years after its erection 
before it was furnished with a table or benches. The 
instruction given in the schools when first established was 
confined almost exclusively to reading and spelling, repeating 
the catechism, writing, and arithmetic. The principal text- 
books used were the New England Primer, Dilwortli s Spelling- 
Book, the New Testament, and Bonycastle s Arithmetic. Once 
each week the scholars were allowed to choose sides for spelling. 

In 1744 it was voted that the people on the Cochato side of 
the river have five pounds of the school money for the use of 
a school to be kept on that side of the river; in 1746 it was 
increased to eight pounds. 

At the present time I know of no towns more generous in 
their appropriations for educational purposes, and also in 
making liberal provision for all necessary municipal expenses, 
than the towns which constituted the original town of Brain- 
tree. The liberal provision made and the different avenues 
provided for educating the young in our own town are ample 
for every individual. 

In addition to the annual tax levied on property, the first 
donation made was for educational purposes, by one William 



One Hundred and Fiftieth Anniversary. 113 

Coddington, who came to this country from England (with 
Governor Winthrop and about thirty others). He was a man 
much respected, and of good estate. He was one of the first 
who received grants of land at Quincy when Mount Wollaston 
formed a part of the town of Boston ; but he entertained 
peculiar religious principles, and in consequence thereof was 
forced to leave the colony, and removed to Rhode Island. 
Believing the act was accomplished in consequence of the 
ignorance of the people, he gave a large tract of land con- 
taining one hundred and twenty-five acres, the income of 
which to be expended for the benefit of public schools, in 
order that future generations might reap the benefit of a 
liberal education, and thus see the folly of excommunicating 
from society individuals for their honest religious opinions. 
The income arising from this bequest has been used for edu- 
cational purposes from that day to this. As new townships 
have been set off, each has received its share. What effect 
his contribution has had in this community in carrying out his 
object, after eighty-eight years' experience, you can determine 
as well as myself. The last year the income from the Cod- 
dington fund in this town amounted to one hundred dollars. 

In 1833 the Randolph Academy, which some of our friends 
who are present today well remember as their alma mater, 
with all its pleasant associations, was erected by private con- 
tribution, for the benefit of scholars in this town and vicinity, 
and was a useful and prosperous institution for many years. 

In 1842 Hon. Amasa Stetson, a native of Randolph, gave 
to this town the building which stands opposite to this, for 
town purposes, and in addition thereto the sum of ten thou- 
sand dollars, the income to be devoted for the maintenance of 
a high school, to be kept in said building, for the advantage of 
the youth in pursuing the higher departments of education. 
Under its present efficient management, with its competent 
and faithful instructors, it needs no words of commendation 
from me in its behalf. 

In 1872 General Sylvanus Thayer, of Braintree, made liberal 



114 First Congregational C/mrck, Randolph. 

provision for the erection of a school building, and the support 
of a school of a high grade, for the benefit of scholars residing 
in Braintree, Quincy, Randolph, and Holbrook, where all 
having proper qualifications may be admitted free of charge. 
The institution was opened to pupils September 12, 1877, and 
thus far has been a decided success. 

In 1875 the heirs of the late Royal Turner, who was one of 
our most respected citizens, whose long life of usefulness and 
whose purity of character many present will remember, gave 
to the town of Randolph the sum of fifty thousand dollars for 
the erection of a library building and the establishment of a 
free public library, which contains today seven thousand three 
hundred and eighty-one volumes. The various provisions 
made to which I have alluded, with a liberal appropriation 
annually made by the town for educational purposes, ought to 
place Randolph second to no town in this Commonwealth. 

For many years after the incorporation of the town the 
highways were repaired by a tax assessed and payable in labor 
at four shillings a day before the first day of July, and three 
shillings a day after that date ; which system, not proving 
economical for the town, was soon abandoned. 

The poor, although small in numbers, were usually let out 
to the lowest bidder, the average price being about fifty cents 
per week. 

For more than forty years after the first settlement of this 
town there was no resident physician, and history informs us 
the health of the people was remarkably good. We are 
informed that Randolph at the date of its incorporation was a 
quiet agricultural community, containing one hundred and 
thirty or one hundred and forty families, and not far from 
seven hundred inhabitants. Such was their confidence in 
each other, that no burglar-alarms were thought necessary, 
very few bolting the doors of their dwellings overnight ; 
which system, if proved safe, would be an improvement on 
the one we have been obliged to adopt one hundred years 
later. 



One Hundred and Fiftieth Anniversary. 115 

A painted house was an unusual sight. A carpet on the 
floor was rarely seen. Tallow candles, of domestic manufact- 
ure, were used for lights. The great and little wheel, winders 
and loom were found in every family. Flax and wool furnished 
the raw material, and each house was a manufactory in which 
it was woven into substantial fabrics for the use of its 
inmates. 

The state of the roads would not permit the use of wheel 
carriages. No communication was had with many of the 
neighboring settlements, except through the woods by bridle- 
paths. Every farmer was his own mechanic ; every nail was 
made by hand. Stone was used for building chimneys, with 
clay-mortar for a cement. Glass was not common, but a kind 
of mica-slate was used as a substitute. 

The principal road to Boston was through Braintree and 
Quincy to Milton Mills, thence through Dorchester and Rox- 
bury. The pathway at that time through the Blue Hills was 
exceedingly circuitous and nearly impassable. 

What would our ancestors think, today, to pass up or down 
these beautiful streets, and see these comfortable homes ; 
such extensive and prosperous manufactories ; these cleared 
fields; the iron ties which bind town to city; such comfort- 
able and commodious churches, where all are invited to enter; 
such well-ordered and well-directed institutions in every depart- 
ment .'' Or of their being conveyed from Randolph to Boston 
in less than thirty minutes, and reading the morning paper 
containing the news transmitted from the four quarters of the 
globe, and which transpired but a few hours before } Or wit- 
nessing an electric light illuminating a whole township, or by 
the aid of the telephone holding a private conversation with 
their friends fifty miles away before partaking of their morn- 
ing meal? The great improvements made, and the wonderful 
inventions now in successful operation, have not been the 
work of a day or a year, but commenced generations ago, the 
foundations of which were laid by our ancestors, and they 
only tell of the progress made in the first one hundred and 



Ii6 First Congregational Church, Randolph. 

fifty years. Who can realize what these words, " one hundred 
and fifty years," contain and suggest? Who can reaHze the 
amount of civil, political, and religious experience which has 
accumulated in this century and a half, and which has passed 
to us as an inheritance from our fathers, to be preserved and 
perpetuated by us? 

In the year 1704 the first printed newspaper in America 
was published in Boston, and called the Boston News-Letter. 
Its circulation each week was about one hundred copies. I 
hold in my hand a facsimile copy of the first number, pub- 
lished one hundred and seventy-seven years ago. There are 
at the present time more than one hundred and twenty-five 
papers published, daily, weekly, and monthly, in Boston alone; 
some with a daily circulation of from fifty thousand to one 
hundred thousand copies each. 

In 1857 the first newspaper in Randolph was published, 
under the name of the RandolpJi Transcript and Advertiser, 
with a circulation of two hundred copies. Under different 
editors and proprietors and names it has continued to the 
present time, and is now issued in an enlarged and improved 
form, with a circulation of one thousand copies each week. 

The manufactures in Randolph have steadily increased 
from a few thousand dollars annually to as many millions at 
the present time, and the valuation of the town increases year 
by year. 

In 1872 the easterly portion of Randolph was set off and 
incorporated under the name of Holbrook, in honor of one of 
its most respected citizens. Although the old town regretted 
to part with so goodly a portion of her people and so large a 
portion of her territory, yet we congratulate her citizens that, 
after an existence of only nine years, the new town of Hol- 
brook is today one of the most enterprising and prosperous 
towns in the Commonwealth. 

Having thus briefly alluded to some of the important events 
relating to this precinct while a part of the town of Braintree; 
also from the time separation commenced from the old town. 



One Hundred and Fiftieth Anniversary. wj 

and Randolph became a distinct township, it only remains for 
me to speak of the parish of modern times, and, to speak 
from my own knowledge, I m.ust confine my remarks strictly 
to the parish I now represent, whose history and experience I 
doubt not is the history and experience of many parishes 
throughout New England. Its record has been simple, but 
comprehensive. From 1793 to the present time, officers and 
committees have annually been chosen to conduct its affairs. 
Provision has been made for all necessary expenses. All 
payments by members of this parish have been cheerfully 
and promptly made. Whenever the requirements demanded 
the erection of a new meeting-house, or the repairing and 
improving of one already erected, all have united in the enter- 
prise, from the commencement to its completion. The hand 
of charity has never been withheld from any worthy object. 
Nothing has occurred, within my knowledge, to change the 
annual routine of parish business, except when a communica- 
tion has been received from our minister, suggesting a reduc- 
tion of his salary, which suggestion the parish have promptly 
acted upon, and, by a unanimous vote, refused to comply 
with. 

I trust I shall do no wrong, or exceed my duties, if, on this 
occasion, I disclose some matters connected with the financial 
condition of this Society, and which are of some importance 
to a parish in modern times. Without entering into the 
history of the various funds given and accumulated for the 
benefit of this parish, in addition to the income from the 
church fund of which mention has already been made, the 
investment known as the Ministerial Fund amounts today 
at its market value to $9,300; the Wales Fund amounts to 
$5,000 — a donation made by Hon. Jonathan Wales, who 
always took a deep interest in this Church and parish, and 
whose exemplary life and character it is pleasant to remember. 
The Parsonage Fund, the cash portion of the same at the 
present time, amounts to $3,300. The remaining portion of 
said fund has been expended for the purchase of the valuable 



1 1 8 First Congregatiojial Church, Randolph. 

estate, next south from this building, for a parsonage, but 
thus far has not been occupied as such. 

In closing, I cannot let this opportunity pass without speak- 
ing of the kind feeling always manifested and often expressed 
by the people of this town toward this Church and parish; 
and from the time of the settlement of the first minister here 
to the present time, with hardly a single exception, nothing 
has occurred to mar the harmony and good feeling between 
the minister, the Church, and the parish. And I say it with- 
out flattery to any one, or fear of contradiction, that from the 
time our present pastor commenced his duties here, a little 
more than fifteen years ago, the friendship and respect ex- 
tended to him then has increased year by year, and today we 
cannot but renew our thanks, as a Church, as a parish, and a 
town, that in early manhood a kind Providence directed him 
here. And may many years of usefulness in the future, as in 
the past, yet remain for him, and the friendship, respect, and 
harmony now existing still continue. 

As we link the present with the past, we are witnesses 
today, on this anniversary occasion, what one hundred and 
fifty-four years as a parish, one hundred and fifty years as a 
Church, and eighty-eight years as a town, have done for us. 
The institutions which were founded by our ancestors and 
transmitted to us have been perpetuated and extended and 
enlarged, and our hearts cannot but swell with gratitude to 
the great Father of all, for his wonderful gifts to the chil- 
dren of men. 



At the close of the hymn following the preceding address, the pastor of the 
Church invited the attention of the audience to informal addresses from several 
gentlemen. With cordial greeting he first welcomed to the platform Edward A. 
Strong, Esq., of Boston, a grandson of Rev. Dr. Jonathan Strong. 

aBDress of ©BtDarn a. €)ttone, ffisq* 

Reverend Sir and Good Friends : I am glad both by 
presence and by voice to testify to my interest in this occa- 
sion. In our country, and even in this older part of it, one 
hundred and fifty years is indeed a goodly age to celebrate, 
and approaches to a real antiquity. The centennial period 
through which we have so lately passed, with its numerous 
local and general assemblies, has done much, I think, to foster 
in our people a reverence for the past, and to enable us to 
realize more deeply what we owe to our fathers — to the men 
who first broke this rugged soil, chose the sites of these towns 
and settled them, built the first school-houses and organized 
these churches, fought for and won our liberty, laid thus the 
foundations of our civil institutions and cemented them with 
their blood, planted the seeds which have sprung up into the 
flowers and fruits of this modern civilization which we, too 
often forgetful of their share in the original work, so richly 
enjoy. 

To us in New England the celebration of the founding of a 
Church has peculiar significance, and demands special recog- 
nition, because in the olden time the Church was in such a 
true sense the very heart of the community, whence its best 
impulses and its most influential movements sprung. 

How true was this in the colonial and the revolutionary 
periods! And this very Church, I doubt not, was not only a 
spring of spiritual life, but a fountain of loyal and patriotic 



I20 First Congregational CJiurcJi, Randolph. 

fervor as well. This point is emphasized by what was told us 
in the address, this afternoon, of the promptitude and loyalty 
of the pastor of this Church in the war of 1812. Such a 
celebration as this therefore appeals to us on many grounds, 
both as Christians and as citizens. 

I have somewhere read this sentiment, that " he who is not 
proud of his ancestors shows either that he had no ancestors 
to be proud of, or else that he is a degenerate son." For 
myself I count it a high honor to be in the line of one who, 
as its minister, served this Church and parish from 1789 to 
1 8 14, thus giving his entire mature life to what I conceive to 
be the highest form of human service. Cut off in the prime 
of life — at fifty, so that his youngest son but dimly remem- 
bered him — to his grandchildren and their children has 
resulted that irreparable loss which comes from the scanty 
memorials and slender traditions of an abbreviated life. No 
portrait preserves him, save that which imagination may print 
upon the "mind's eye." 

Identified as I have been, from my earliest manhood, with 
the industries of this town, and hence a frequent visitor, I 
have rarely passed up this street without looking toward what 
remains of the old parsonage, and trying to picture the stal- 
wart form of my grandfather, as he went in and out and 
walked these roads, in the ministries of the country parson of 
the olden time. And when 1 came to the meeting-house, I 
have sought to reproduce that older one where he preached, 
and to catch an echo from the distant past of his sonorous 
voice, as he pressed home an argument, or, with earnest 
appeal, lifted up the cross of the Redeemer. 

If he was robust in the pulpit on Sunday, as has been recorded 
of him, I have remembered to have heard that he could swing 
a scythe on Monday with a stroke as vigorous as any of his 
farmer parishioners ; and though, like many another country 
parson, he may have been "passing rich with forty pounds a 
year," I count it no discredit that he tilled some of these 
fields while he labored chiefly for a harvest of souls. 



One Htmdred and Fiftieth An7iiversary. 121 

But, sir, I have more than passed the boundary of those 
few words you desired from me, as representative of that 
family of my grandfather which during a period of twenty- 
five years was so dear and important to this Church and 
parish. 

The famihes of the last century! How shall I, in closing, 
speak a word of them ? How better, perhaps, than to recall, 
as typical of numberless others, the mother of this family, 
Joanna Odiorne, the wife of Dr. Strong, whom it is my privi- 
lege to remember quite distinctly .'' Possessed of simple tastes 
and frugal habits, a clear intellect and sound judgment, an 
affectionate and sympathizing spirit and an unwavering faith 
in God, she was not only an ideal minister's wife, but an ideal 
ancestress, whom many generations may well revere. 

And such were the virtues which characterized so many of 
the families of our fathers. We cannot easily measure what 
we owe to them, since so much is due to those subtle influ- 
ences of heredity — to that which "runs in the blood" and is 
" bred in the bone." We might gain an idea by a negative 
view. Had it not been for their frugality, their self-denials, 
their rigid virtues, their stern creeds even, upbuilding strong 
characters, does any one of us believe our development would 
have been what it is today .'' If our lives be less simple, let 
us be sure they are as sincere. If our creed be shorter, let us 
be sure that our reverence is no less. If our benefactions be 
larger, let us be sure that our charity is as fervent. If our 
country -be so much grander now, let us be sure that our 
patriotism is as pure, as self-forgetful. We can best pay the 
debt we owe to our forefathers by surpassing them, even in 
the virtues in which they excelled. 

Regret was expressed that no one was present to respond for the mother 
Church in Braintree. The pastor said : If it is rather late, tonight, for our aged 
mother to be out ; we take pleasure in the company of our young and interesting 
daughter, as we may, without too great exactness, entitle the Winthrop Church, 
of Holbrook ; and from her we are now happy to hear, in the person of her 
pastor, Rev. Herbert A. Loring. 



122 First Congregational Chtirch, Randolph. 

aUBrcss of Eeb. fl?. a« Horinc of C^olbrooft, 

Brother Chairman and Friends : Most happy am I to 
be present on this occasion. It is also a privilege and honor 
to represent the "daughter" — or perhaps more properly the 
granddaughter — of this Church, though fully conscious that 
another might do it far better than a comparative stranger. 

Allow me, first of all, to say in behalf of the daughter 
Church that she is not unmindful of her indebtedness to such 
an ancestry. She desires to prove worthy her heritage. She 
appreciates most thoroughly and reciprocates most heartily all 
the kind words spoken of her and the town she has helped to 
mold. 

Time, as it passes on swift wings, kindly obliterates much, 
the remembrance of which would give pain. It often reverses 
the judgments of former days, pronouncing them unjust. It 
reveals more clearly the good. It brings into bold relief the 
true and noble. It permits to live that which helps, betters, 
inspires. It sounds the death-knell of that which does not. 
It ought. Therefore it is with joy that your daughter con- 
gratulates you today; not so much because you have attained 
so great an age, but have reached it by developing in yourself, 
and others touched by you, so much that lives and deserves to 
live; yea, that is immortal. One hundred and fifty years is 
but a small part of man's existence, or even of that of some 
churches; yet it is time enough for a Church to secure 
enduring honor, far more than enough to bring lasting dis- 
grace upon itself. It is a vast stretch when measured, not by 
years, but bv seed sown and harvests reaped, by struggles 
endured and sacrifices made, by battles fought and victories 
won for God and his truth. These alone make the hoary 
head a crown of glory. To us, with less than twenty-five 
years of varying record behind us, you look old and vener- 
able indeed. We love you not less, but more, because of 
your years. We honor you, not because you have reached 
your one hundred and fiftieth birthday simply, but because 



One Hundred and Fiftieth Anniversary. 123 

your years have been those of noble toil for the Master. 
We rejoice to believe you are still young in power to do and 
achieve. What these past years have wrought, none can tell ; 
for who among us can gather together and turn into one 
channel the influences which have had their source here, 
and which have, like the rivulet, broadened into a mighty 
river, it in turn begetting others .'' There is, too, an unwritten 
and sacred history of sacrifice and struggle, of toil and tri- 
umph, of peril and prayer, known only to God. The records 
given us today are but fragments of a history which touches 
at some point every quarter of the globe. Such history is 
not the result of chance. It is built. It is made. It is a 
growth, a plant, a perennial tree, drawing its life up from the 
earth and down from the heavens, striking its roots deeper 
and deeper, spreading its branches wider and wider, as time 
rolls on, and all that it may scatter blessings far and wide on 
every passing breeze. 

So, mother Church, live on ; grow young in heart as the 
years increase. Never become old save in devotion to the 
glorious old truths so faithfully proclaimed by such men as 
Drs. Strong and Hitchcock, and so nobly exemplified in the 
lives of the Waleses, Thayers, Aldens, whose memories are and 
ever will be fragrant in this Church and region. Live on, 
writing, making history which shall bless men and honor God 
and bear the light of eternity itself; for it goes with you to 
the bar of judgment. If in coming years you must die, may 
you " come to your grave in a full age, like as a shock of corn 
cometh in, in his season." But I will not speak of old age 
or of dying. For a true Church of God never grows old ; it 
never dies ; it is always young ; and when its work is done 
here, it is simply transplanted to fairer climes and richer soil, 
where its growth is untrammeled, glorious, and eternal. 

Reference was made by the pastor to the fact that when the North Baptist 
Church of Randolph was formed (1819), and for some time afterward, that 
Church received little sympathy from this. He expressed the most sincere satis- 
faction that those days had passed away, and that for many a year the two 



124 First Congregational Church, Randolph. 

churches had been drawing more and more closely together, and that now the 
pastors and the churches were both laboring side by side in warm personal and 
Christian friendship. The pastor of the Baptist Church was then presented — 
Rev. Joseph C. Foster. 

atmrcss of Eeti. !♦ C JFoster* 

I am glad to have an opportunity to express the deep 
interest which I feel in this interesting occasion, when one 
hundred and fifty years pass in particular review from the 
commanding point of observation afforded by this ancient 
Church. The kind and fraternal words of the pastor, in call- 
ing me out for some remarks, are highly appreciated, and the 
spirit of their utterance is fully reciprocated. Such magna- 
nimity as is indicated by what my brother Labaree has more 
than once said, today, with reference to another Church than 
his own, in this town, is commendably in contrast with the 
words and actions of other days than those in which we live ; 
though, as I am happy to know, there always have been noble 
exceptions to the prevalence of uncharitableness and unfriend- 
liness among Christians of differing views and practices, in 
respect to which peculiarities they may all be equally sincere 
and conscientious. Such an exception was revealed when a 
prominent Congregational minister in this State, two thirds 
of a century ago, being in company with an Episcopalian 
clergyman, showed himself to be more, a Christian than a 
sectarian. The conversation turning upon the news that 
Adoniram Judson, the missionary, had become a Baptist, the 
latter said to the former, " So your chickens have turned out 
ducks;" to which the former magnanimously replied, "Yes; 
and I should be willing to sit on hens' eggs all my days, if I 
could hatch such ducks." These preachers were the fathers 
of the late Rev. Gardiner Spring, D.D., of New York, and the 
still living Rev. Stephen H. Tyng, D.D., of the same city. 
Dr. Spring's reply, in the circumstances, was not a little in 
advance of his times for true nobleness, as are the words of 
him who presides on this occasion fully abreast with, if not 



One Hundred and Fiftieth Anniversary. 125 

considerably ahead of his times, for the same cardinal excel- 
lence. 

In behalf of the neighboring Church which I represent, I 
heartily congratulate this venerable body, which has so long 
provided for the preaching of the gospel upon this truly 
sacred spot, sincerely felicitating the members thereof upon 
their excellent record, hitherto. It is no ordinary privilege 
enjoyed by you who celebrate this anniversary, to recall the 
events of so long a period into which so much that claims a 
grateful acknowledgment is crowded. This day may be to 
you like that when Paul, at Appii Forum, " thanked God and 
took courage." 

While recognizing your title to respect on the score of 
lengthened as well as honorable history, I can properly speak 
of contemporary Church life by your side during full two 
thirds of the long time in which you have existed as a relig- 
ious organization. For more than one hundred years there 
has been a Baptist Church in Randolph, and it is pleasant to 
recall the friendly relations which long ago existed between 
an honored pastor of this Church, Rev. Jonathan Strong, 
D.D., and Rev. Joel Briggs, who was pastor of the Baptist 
Church in the south part of the town nearly forty years, from 
1787 to 1825. These worthy ministers were personal friends, 
and in various ways their mutual fellowship was manifested. 
Mr. Briggs was educated at Brown University, in Providence, 
R. I., where Mr. Strong received the degree of Doctor of 
Divinity, in 1808, through the influence, it is said, of his 
clerical neighbor of the Baptist Church. At the ordination 
of Mr. Briggs, in this town, in 1787, the president of that 
college. Rev. James Manning, D.D., preached in the newly 
erected house for worship, at the dedication of which, three 
years before, Rev. Samuel Stillman, D.D., of Boston, preached. 
That Church, after contributing, in 18 19, to the formation of 
the Church now existing in the more northern part of the 
town, removed its location a short distance, so as to be over 
the Stoughton line, where it still continues in existence as 



126 First Congregational Church, Rattdolph. 

the East Stoughton Baptist Church, the centennial anniversary 
of which was observed September 15, 1880. 

During Rev. Dr. Strong's pastorate there were commendable 
relations maintained between the pastors of these churches, 
and probably between the churches also, in which respect 
this town differed from some other towns in the Common- 
wealth. If a different state of things came to exist subse- 
quently, as may be inferred from my brother Labaree's 
admirable introduction of me for the service I am now per- 
forming, it is certainly a matter for great rejoicing that the 
intercourse of the churches is now exceedingly harmonious, 
and that the present pastors have for nearly nine years known 
" how good and pleasant it is for brethren to dwell together in 
unity," even " as it becometh the gospel of Christ." 

Evidently, as churches and ministers better know each 
other, they will think more highly of each other. Prejudice 
and hostility will disappear in proportion as a good mutual 
understanding prevails. It will be as in the case mentioned 
by the eminent Mr. Jay, of Bath, England, who said that a 
countryman told him how he was that morning excessively 
alarmed as he was going in a lonely way, and thought he saw 
a hideous monster, the sight of which filled him with con- 
sternation ; but, upon nearer approach, the object that had 
caused his almost overwhelming terror was found to be his 
brother John, who had not been duly recognized because of 
the thick fog of the early morning. Too often Christian 
brethren are thus mistaken, and happy are they who make a 
timely discovery of brethren, in the place of supposed mon- 
sters. God grant that we may all know and love as brethren. 

You, my friends of this Church and congregation, have my 
best wishes in your behalf, that all the best of the past may 
be more than equaled in the future of your more abundant 
prosperity, so that those who celebrate your two hundredth 
or your two hundred and fiftieth anniversary may be able to 
recount even better things than have been heard today, as 
your progress shall be traced in all that is praiseworthy, ren- 



One Hundred and Fiftieth Anniversary. 127 

dering any coming celebration more joyful than this in which 
we are made glad. 

Rev. Dr. Tarbox, of Boston, was invited to speak, as a recognized historian 
of New England churches, and as having a peculiar interest in such occasions 
as this. 

auurwiai of Eeb. Dr» ^arbojc. 

During the exercises of the afternoon and evening it has 
been made plain that one of the most important pastorates in 
the history of this Church was that of Rev. Jonathan Strong, 
D.D., who was settled here from 1789 to 18 14. Now, this 
Jonathan Strong was born and passed his childhood in the 
rough old town of Bolton, Conn. The minister there was an 
odd but notable man, by the name of George Colton, who 
occupied the pulpit of the town more than fifty years. At 
this time there was another Dr. Strong (Dr. Nathan Strong, 
of Hartford), one of the foremost men of his generation, 
known for his wit as well as for his great abilities. He it 
was, on the occasion of some ecclesiastical gathering, when 
he had charge of the assembly, who perpetrated the well- 
known but questionable joke of calling out, " Brother Colton, 
of Bolton, will you step this way and pray .-• " 

As we have already said, Bolton was a rough old hill town, 
and it is from such towns that a large proportion of our 
eminent men, in all departments of public activity, have 
come. The nature of its soil and surroundings may be 
inferred from what the following: lines seem to susfgest : 



*&o* 



And did you ever climb on foot 

To where old Bolton stands ? 
And did you ever look about 

And wish you owned those lands ? 
But Bolton was a famous town. 

Back in the olden time, 
And had a famous minister 

With her own name to rhyme. 

She sought for the proprieties. 

The fitnesses of things ; 
She taught young poets to aspire. 

And use their budding wings ; 



128 First Congregational Church, Randolph. 

And so for half a century 

Bolton sat still and heard, 
While Parson Colton, tall and quaint, 

Proclaimed to them the word. 

There was a time, one hundred years and more ago, when 
the glory of New England was in her hill towns; and so 
important a place was this old town, even more than one 
hundred and fifty years ago, that no less a man than Jonathan 
Edwards was called to its ministry and accepted the invita- 
tion. The arrangements were all completed, the writings 
drawn up, and he was soon to be ordained, when there came 
an urgent call for his services at the college in New Haven. 
Here he was detained until the people of Bolton, tired of 
waiting, called another man to the pulpit. One is curious to 
know what would have happened in New England, if the 
illustrious Jonathan Edwards had settled in Bolton, rather 
than in Northampton. 

But to return to Dr. Strong. When he was a lad of eight 
years old, his family moved up into New Hampshire. This 
was in 1772. Three years before, Dr. Eleazer Wheelock had 
gone up from the town of Lebanon, Conn., with Moor's Indian 
Charity School, and had thus laid the foundations of Dart- 
mouth College, at Hanover, N. H. There was a deep sympa- 
thy with Dr. Wheelock in this movement among many of the 
towns of eastern Connecticut. He was a great friend of 
Whitfield, and had suffered not a little on that account. The 
older colleges. Harvard and Yale, were set in strong oppo- 
sition to Whitfield, especially during his earlier visits to this 
country. Dr. Wheelock was known as an earnestly evangel- 
ical man and the friend of revivals, and from the Connecticut 
towns of Lebanon, Hebron, Bolton, Coventry, Mansfield, 
Windham, Canterbury, and others, young men flocked up to 
the infant college in the woods of New Hampshire. The way 
was long and difficult. For a large part of this journey there 
was nothing beyond a bridle-path ; and yet such was the zeal 
of the Connecticut youth in this enterprise, that of the two 



One Hundred and Fiftieth Anniversary. 129 

hundred and eighty-five young men graduated at Dartmouth 
in the first twenty years of its existence — from 1770 to 1790 
— one hundred and twenty-two of them, among whom was 
your Jonathan Strong, were born in the far-away State of 
Connecticut, which already had a college almost a hundred 
years old. If you will meditate upon this fact a little, you 
will discover that it is quite a remarkable one. Young Strong, 
of course, was then living in New Hampshire, but the great 
majority of the Connecticut boys had to make the long 
journey back and forth through their whole college course. 

I came to attend this celebration as a stranger and looker-on, 
expecting to take no part in the public exercises ; but as the 
hours have been passing away, I have gradually come to the 
conclusion that I belong here. Fortunately or unfortunately, 
I have a name which is thought to be a little singular. There 
is this good thing about it, however, that all letters and pack- 
ages so directed go straight to their mark, while the unhappy 
John Smith is all the while looking up his lost goods and 
epistles. But, sitting here, I begin to feel very much at 
home. My middle name is Niles, and on this soil the Nileses 
have greatly abounded, and in the records today brought 
forward has appeared a veritable Increase Niles. Now, the 
way in which I came to bear that baptismal name was this. 
In the year 1750 Increase Porter, of Hebron, Conn., was 
united in marriage to Mary Niles, of the neighboring town of 
Colchester, parish of Westchester. These were my great 
maternal grandfather and grandmother, and my mother wished 
to mingle their names together in giving me mine. So far as 
I can learn, the name Niles was carried into eastern Con- 
necticut from this very locality ; and so, as I suppose, I am 
here among my distant kindred, and have not only a general 
but an ancestral and historical interest in this deeply inter- 
esting occasion. 



130 First Congregational Church, Randolph. 



The presence of Rev. Dr, J. P. Gulliver, of Andover Theological Seminary 
(formerly a teacher in Randolph Academy), was expected with much interest by 
his old pupils and friends. At the last moment, however, he was detained. 
The following address had been prepared in outline, and has since been fully 
written, at the request of the committee. 

autiress of IProfessor 31. IP. (SuIIitiet, D.D» 

Among the many interesting features of memorial occasions 
like this, there is one, a subordinate one perhaps, but yet one 
which is well worthy of note. It is the reverence for the past 
which gives inspiration alike to speech and song and prayer. 
It has been supposed that we Americans are quite destitute 
of this amiable and conservative sentiment. I have some- 
times heard Englishmen say : " What a pity it is that you 
have no old cathedrals, or ruins, or monuments to connect you 
with the past. It is strange that you can keep up the tone of 
society where everything is so new!" But Americans make 
up in imagination what they lack in age. It is as true in 
this, as in everything else, that "where there is a will there 
is a way." The American has an inventive mind, and if he 
is disposed to reverence the past, he will not be long at a loss 
to find antiquities. You will meet at the West an " Old Set- 
tlers' Society," holding its annual anniversary in towns where 
the paint is hardly dry on the most ancient structures. The 
parks of level Chicago are adorned with hills and mossy rocks, 
and dens of wild beasts, like the fastnesses of some forest pri- 
meval. But in New England we fortunately are not so 
dependent on the vividness of fancy, since our memories, if 
not so full of years as those which carry the European back 
to the barbaric days of his ancestors, are far more full of 
genuine respect and pride and reverence. The sentiment of 
New England toward the Pilgrims is one of the loftiest and 
purest possible to man. The ancients called such reverence 
for ancestors, /zV/y. In this case the sentiment well deserves 
the name ; for the honor we give our fathers is inextricably 
mingled with the honor we render to the God of our fathers. 



One Hundred and Fiftieth Anniversary. 131 

It is easy to measure a New Englander's piety toward God, 
by the estimate he has of his Puritan ancestors. If prayer 
and praise and the exaltations of public worship, when the 
souls of a great congregation together hold communion with 
the skies, are unknown in his experience, he will be sure to 
string out his jests upon the "arctic meeting-houses," and 
"the two-hour sermons," and the "nasal prayers" of his Puri- 
tan ancestors. If he has slight regard for God's law, you may 
count on finding him entirely familiar with the "Blue Laws 
of Connecticut," the creation of that disgruntled Episcopal 
priest, Peters, the Baron Munchausen of the Colonial times. 
In short, he will glorify his ancestry, and vilify his ancestors ! 
So this reverence for parents, which is the whole of religion 
to the Chinese, lies closely beside religion, as its natural 
expression and fruitage, with the New Englander. 

You have today looked back over a glorious record — glori- 
ous not with the noise of the captains and the shouting, not 
with arms and banners and blood, as the records of chivalry 
and heroism are — but bright with self-sacrifice, devotion and 
the love which asks no reward — a record emblazoned with 
the deeds of those who " having been wise, shall shine as the 
brightness of the firmament, and having turned many to right- 
eousness, as the stars forever and ever." 

The memories aroused today should, and will, make you 
better men and women. They will give exaltation to your 
lives. The grandeur of the Puritan ancestor shall appear in 
the children and the children's children. The past shall 
evolve the present, and the future shall be born of both. 
And when the two hundredth or the three hundredth anni- 
versary of your church shall be celebrated, jj/f« will be ances- 
tors also, and your character and deeds will pass into the 
grateful and admiring memory of the children of today, and of 
the generations yet unborn. 

Pardon me for this moralizing. The thought attracted me 
and I have spoken it because it seemed worthy of at least a 



132 First Congregational Church, Randolph. 

moment's attention at this time. And now I cannot help ask- 
ing myself why I am here among these men and women of 
Randolph ? I was much surprised at the invitation, for I 
could hardly believe at first that anybody living knew that I 
had ever set foot in your town, or if they knew it, would think 
the circumstance worthy of notice. 

However, for the information of the present generation, I 
can testify that there was once an academy here built for the 
admirable purpose of starting the young men and women of 
that period toward the higher education, which alone could 
make them leaders in society. In that design I believe it 
was eminently successful. As I recollect it, it was a building 
in the Grecian style, quite a Parthenon in fact, with classical 
pillars arranged along its front. This was in the year 1840, 
forty-one years ago. Strange to say, my predecessor in the 
office of Principal of that academy is still living, the Rev. Dr. 
Poor, and the last time I saw him, we were both members of 
the Presbyterian General Assembly, in St. Louis, and he was 
then as mettlesome and frisky as any boy he had to train in 
the Randolph Academy. "The Academy" was in our day 
a very important institution. I would not dare to tell you how 
many pupils there were. But I know a great swarm at recess 
poured out on all sides of the building, and a great noise they 
made. I was a stripling, just turned of twenty-one, and I am 
sure if all the learning I had was divided equally among all 
those pupils, they must have become scholars on the homoeo- 
pathic principle of infinitesimal doses of very high potency. 

There is, however, one very satisfactory way of testing our 
literary success. The graduates who came forth through 
those academic pillars into the broad world have, as I am 
told, done great honor to that, or some other, part of their 
training. Perhaps it is enough to rest assured that nothing 
they experienced there prevented them from achieving great- 
ness. . . . 

But I forget myself. This is a church anniversary. I am 
almost coming to think that my little Parthenon was the 



One Hundred and Fiftieth Anniversary. 133 

center of interest, rather than the meeting-house on the hill. 
Indeed, to tell the truth, they were closely identified. The 
trustees were the officers of the Church, and the children 
were largely in the congregation. You must indulge me if I 
take a moment to speak of one man who was the leading 
character in them both — that grand old man who, for nearly 
an entire century, from his birth to his death, had his home 
in this town ; who was the beloved physician in your house- 
holds; who was a pillar in the church ; who was the leader in 
the Sunday school ; the promotor of public education ; the 
citizen ready for every good work ; and an honored curator in 
the governing boards of some of the most important institu- 
tions of learning in the State. Descended in a direct line, 
through both his parents, from Pilgrims of the Mayflower, 
whose words and deeds have adorned both history and song, 
Dr. Ebejtezer Alden is a household name among you. I was 
an inmate of his family for two years. I came to revere and 
love him as I have few men since. In all my subsequent 
experiences of treacherous human nature, of which I have 
had my share, I could always turn to the memory of the 
strong, quaint, clear-headed, but kindly and loving doctor, 
who had been my early friend, and say, There is a solid nug- 
get of pure gold ! The memory of such a man is a mine of 
riches to you and to your children. 

But I must not impose upon you a long story of the past. 
If I did I am afraid you would think that I am a boy no longer! 
I should be sorry to give you an excuse for such a mistake as 
that would be! Are not the boys and girls (some of them) 
here whom I used to teach } They, I am sure, will protect 
me against such an imputation. We are nearer of an age, my 
dear pupils, than we were when you were twelve and I 
twenty-one ! The shadows are lengthening behind us ! 
The sun of life is dropping slowly down. But the beams, if 
longer, are gentler and softer. They are growing more beau- 
tiful, too, are they not .'' The lessons of the school are forgot- 
ten, no doubt, but the experiences of life seem to gather 



134 First Congregational Church, Randolph. 

themselves together, at the closing, and to weave themselves 
into curtains of manifold beauty, about the entrance-gate of 
our immortal life. Great examples are about us. Blessed 
memories fill the air with music. Loving ministries are mak- 
ing our path soft with verdure. The anchor of our souls, 
sure and steadfast, has caught the ground within the vail ! 
May we be followers of those who through faith and patience 
have inherited the promises ! 



The services of the occasion closed with the Doxology and Benediction. 



%mtt^. 



Boston, Nov. 12, 1881. 

Rev. J. C. Labaree : My Dear Brother,* — I take pleasure in complying with 
your request that I should add to your memorial volume a brief testimony to the 
estimate in which the First Church of Randolph is held by some of those who 
received their early training under its religious nurture. I have time only to 
note a few points upon which I should be tempted to enlarge, did not other 
duties forbid. 

I. The meeting-house of our childhood was a pleasant and attractive place. It 
was the new meeting-house dedicated in 1825, about four years old when I first 
recall it, although I have been told upon the best authority, that I was carried to 
it at an earlier day, and was the first child baptized within its walls. The Ran- 
dolph people of those days were a generation ahead of their times, and put their 
choir and church music upon the pulpit side of the house — a custom which is 
now almost universal, but was then the distinction of but two or three churches 
of that vicinity. Possibly it was not an unmixed blessing. At any rate the boys 
of the congregation enjoyed it, and became well acquainted at an early age with 
"the singers and the players on instruments." We have none of us forgotten 
the two bass-viols, big and little, the two or three violins, the two flutes, the 
clarionet, the ophicleide, the bass horn, the trombone, and best of all " the old 
serpent." I think on a few occasions we praised the Lord also " with cymbals." 
The voluntaries of that band of music, executed at the close of each stanza, with 
sharp " staccato " precision, and an overwhelming volume of sound, who can ever 
forget ? 

Our beloved pastor, Mr. Hitchcock, trained his people to punctuality in a 
marked degree. When he entered the house, with his black sermon-case under 
his arm, waited upon his family into the minister's pew, and then turned and 
ascended the pulpit stairs, it was expected that every person in the congregation 
would be in his place ; and rarely was there a tardy step. Indeed, as all who 
entered the house were obliged to face the congregation, it required considerable 
courage to go through the ordeal of being a late comer. 

* Rev. Dr. Alden's absence on the Anniversary occasion through serious illness was deeply 
regretted by those present. 



136 First Congregational Church, Randolph. 

I have not forgotten that there was a traditional " dark hole " under the pul- 
pit, where boys whose conduct failed to be exemplary in the house of God, were 
in danger of finding themselves suddenly immured ; nor do I fail to recall the 
face of the tithing-man who sat in the front seat of the gallery, on the right of 
the minister, who was supposed to have the authority to execute that stern 
decree ; but as no culprit was ever known to have suffered the penalty, I can 
honestly say that the meeting-house had no terrors for the children, and we soon 
learned to love both the place and the service. 

2. / can testify to the efforts which were made particularly to interest the young in 
religious truth. The study of the Word was made interesting, both in the Sab 
bath school and in the instructions from the pulpit. Dr. Hitchcock's weekly 
expositions of the Sabbath school lesson, upon Sunday evenings, have rarely 
been equalled for perspicuity and for pith. The young were encouraged to 
become disciples of Christ in childhood, and were heartily welcomed to the 
church, if so led by the Divine Spirit, at an early age. I shall never forget the 
Sabbath when two boys, one of the age of thirteen, and the other of eleven, 
walked down the aisle of that church before the congregation, and were so kindly 
received to the watch and care of the Lord's people. Nor were they and others 
of their age afterwards neglected, but were brought immediately into the activi- 
ties of the Christian service. There was no reason why any child or youth, if so 
disposed, should not present himself and be sure of a warm welcome from the 
pastor and officers and older members of the First Church of Randolph. 

3. We were favored with clear doctrinal instruction from the pulpit. The 
atmosphere of the town, and of the surrounding towns, was theological. Dr. 
Emmons, although he had retired from the pulpit, still lived at an advanced age 
in Franklin — he did not die until 1840 — and his sermons were in many a house 
not only on the shelf, but well read. The influence of Dr. Strong had come 
down to a later generation, and had given a taste for doctrinal inquiry to many 
of the most intelligent of his flock. The New England divines were known by 
their writings in many a household, and were discussed sometimes with consider- 
able warmth. Asa Burton had his followers as well as Hopkins and Emmons. 
Some of us remember pretty stout arguments on both sides between the " tast- 
ers " and the "exercisers." 

The people of Randolph and the surrounding towns at that time required 
doctrinal discussion as one part of their pulpit instruction, and they received it 
greatly to their profit. Dr. Hitchcock was a good representative of the New 
England theology which has come down in the line of the best theological think- 
ers of other days, retaining the fundamental essentials of the truth, but giving 
free opportunity for different methods of interpretation. His " Hand-V>ooV. " of 
theology, with its literal "five points," his five fingers, we can none of us ever 
forget. It settled all our troubles about " election " in the twinkling of an eye. 
I. (The little finger extended) All men are depraved. 2. (The next finger) Christ 
died for all. 3. (Third finger) The offer of salvation is freely made to all. 4. 
(Fourth finger) All with one consent began to make excuse. 5. (The thumb) 
God chose some. That thumb was an ultimate apjieal. Arminian theology 



One Hundred and Fiftieth Anniversary. 137 

never peeped or muttered after that. I am free to say that I do not think that 
those clear doctrinal sermons ever did us any harm. 

In this connection, mention should be made of the pulpits of the neighboring 
churches ; for they all had an important influence upon the training of the Ran- 
dolph people. Had I time I should delight to give a picture of the different 
men who preached by way of exchange with our minister, and whose names 
immediately suggest that they are well worthy of mention : Dr. Storrs, of Brain- 
tree, whose prayers are recalled more vividly than even his impressive and 
sometimes vehement oratory : Dr. Codman, of Dorchester, who drove up through 
the street with his high-stepping horse, which he usually called "Old School," to 
distinguish him from a frisky young colt, which bore the name of " New School," 
and which he never drove on exchange ; the very face of that good man was a 
benediction, especially when he discoursed, as some of us well remember, upon 
the twenty-third Psalm : Rev. Daniel Huntington, of North Bridgewater, whose 
reading of a hymn was worth travelling some distance to hear : Rev. David 
Brigham, of East Randolph, one of whose clear-cut expositions of a difficult 
passage in Hebrews has followed me for over forty years. Time would fail me to 
tell of Dr. Calvin Park, of Stoughton, father of the distinguished professor, who 
omitted the "long prayer" on one of his exchanges, much to the gratification of 
the more juvenile part of the audience ; of Mr. Perkins, of Weymouth, who rose 
on tip-toe during his preaching, and so added both to his stature and his empha- 
sis; of Mr. Ward of Abington, who went through the services by lightning- 
express, bringing them all within the hour, but saying more during his rapid 
enunciation in half an hour than some men do in half a day ; of Mr. Couch, the 
successor of Mr. Huntington, who rolled Hopkinsian theology as a " sweet mor- 
sel under his tongue ; " of Mr. Sanford, of Dorchester Village, who always 
preached by turning sharply toward each corner of the house at regular intervals, 
but who never forgot to put in some illustration particularly meant for the chil- 
dren — but how I am running on! Excuse me, and I will come to an abrupt 
conclusion by adding that if I had time, I should like to emphasize 

4. The broad outlook which the instructions of the First Church of Randolph 
gave us all of the great advancing kingdom of Christ throughout the world. We 
children were trained up to observe the Monthly Concert of prayer for missions 
as regularly as we were to go to the Preparatory Lecture and to the Sunday 
school, and to give our personal contribution to every benevolent cause as 
faithfully as our fathers and mothers; all of which was educational to no incon 
siderable degree. 

I congratulate you, my dear brother, as the pastor of a 'church which has a 
most instructive history behind it, and I congratulate the church upon a pastor 
who is so worthy a representative of the best days of the sound and faithful 
Randolph pulpit. 

Goodly is the heritage, sacred and precious the trust, which our fathers, 
revered and honored, have left in our hands! May we retain it in its integrity, 
and pass it on, greatly enhanced in value, to those who shall follow ! 

Most cordially yours, E. K. Alden. 



138 First Congregational Church, Randolph. 

Medway, May 27, 1881. 

Hon. J. White Belcher and others : Gentlemen, — Your cordial invitation 
to attend the "One Hundred and Fiftieth Anniversary of the Congregational 
Church of Randolph," is cordially received. It would give me much pleasure 
(and I may enjoy it) to attend and meet, as I may, some whom I well knew 
among you half a century since. The occasion would doubtless recall pleasant 
memories of others who have passed away. The manly forms and genial faces 
of your old pastor, Rev, Dr. Hitchcock, and your old physician. Dr. Ebenezer 
Alden, even now confront me and cheer me as I think of their life and labor 
among you and in other fields. But my chief interest, as you may suppose, 
clusters around the dear boys of your ^rsf private high school taught by me in 
1832, in the old Masonic Hall owned by one Shankland, the tailor. Many of 
these have since drawn a higher inspiration from succeeding teachers, some, 
many I trust, from the church of their fathers, while others have passed all 
gradations to a heavenly state. I call to mind the Mann boys, Benjamin, Asa, 
Jonathan and Stillman, and Seth ; the Tolmans ; the Thayers, Elisha W., Mor- 
ton, James and George W. ; the Turners, Seth and Royal ; Jonathan White, 
a white-haired boy from the East; Ebenezer Alden, Jr., John King, Fred How- 
ard, H. B. Alden, James French, J. White Belcher, Josiah L. Arms, the Beals, 
E. and Royal T., and Robert Hitchcock, with perfect lessons always, and Joseph 
G., a little boy then — and others whom I cannot now recall. How many of 
them have been gathered into the fold of the Good Shepherd, through the church 
which yote represent, I know not. Fifty years ago they saw its light, which, like 
a city set on a hill, could not be hid. 

May its light continue to shine, to guide multitudes over the sea of life to the 
haven of eternal rest. Yours very truly, 

M. M. Fisher. 



Bridgewater, June 7, 1881. 
To the Congregational Chnrch, Randolph, afid the Parish connected therewith, 
through their Committees. 

Rev. J. C. Labaree, J. White Belcher and others : Gentlemen, — Accept 
our grateful acknowledgments of your kind invitation to be present with you 
tomorrow on occasion of the " One Hundred and Fiftieth Anniversary " of your 
Church. Be assured it would afford us great pleasure to comply with your 
request did not the infirmities of age forbid. It is our earnest wish and prayer 
to the great Head of the Church, that He may be with you; that all present 
maybe filled "with faith and the Holy Spirit;" that thus your gathering together 
may be full of profit and of enjoyment; and not only so, but that the coming one 
hundred and Ji/ty yt^iVS may witness to your growth in "whatsoever things are 
true, honorable, just, pure, lovely," and that the " God of peace may be with 
you " evermore. 

Yours truly, in pleasant remembrances and hopeful anticipations, for myself 
and Mrs. Brigham, David Brigham. 



One Hundred and Fiftieth Anniversary. 139 

Dorchester, June 4, i88r. 
Rev. J' C. Labaree: My Dear Brother, — I thank you very sincerely for 
your invitation, and much regret that I cannot be present at the approaching 
anniversary. The Second Church of Dorchester is just half as old as yours, 
having reached its seventy-fifth birthday in January last. We call ourselves 
venerable, but must do homage to you as doubly so. The two churches have 
been often pleasantly associated. Dr. Hitchcock was the Moderator of the Coun- 
cil at my ordination. Mr. Cordley was my classmate, and I gave him the right 
hand of fellowship when he was installed. The present pastor of the Randolph 
Church wears gracefully the name of the first pastor of the Dorchester Church, 
which may account for some of his virtues, and suggests the pleasant hope of a 
pastorate extended through forty years. The cordial fellowship enjoyed for so 
many years in the Norfolk Conference cannot be forgotten. May the review of 
the past prepare for new activity and success during a future bright and pro- 
longed. Cordially yours, J. H. Means. 



Andover, r88i. 
Mv Dear Mr. Labaree: — I regret very much that my circumstances have 
prevented me from answering your very kind letter before this time. I should 
have been very happy to attend the interesting anniversary to which you have 
politely invited me. My engagements, however, confine me to Andover, and 
prevent my acceptance of your generous invitation. With the highest regard I 
remain. Your friend and servant, 

Edwards A. Park. 



3tj)j)cnbijc. 



Copy of the Vote, of the South Precinct of Braintree authorizing o 

New Precinct. 

South Brantry december the nineteth 1727. 
at a meeteing of our South precinct Lawfully assembled Then voted Mr. 
Samuel Pain moderator for said day and it Was Requefted by a nomber of our 
remote Brethren that they might be a precinft by themselves and it was pro- 
pounded by the moderator Where the Line shuld run, and the bounds are as 
follows To begin at the head of the grat pond and norward to milton Line and 
so from The grat pond strat to Collonol quinceys Line and from thenc to the 
reuer of Cachato and up the reuer to the mouth of tumbling brook and so upon 
the line betwen The Reverand Mr Niles and Samuel Bass and so upon the 
Line between Mr Niles and Thomas holbrook and so strate to Waymouth Line. 
That is to say paralal with the said Line of Mr Niles and Thomas holbrook 

and it was propounded by the moderator whether they woould consent that 
the aboue said bounds shuld be the Line and it was put to uot and it past in the 
affirmatiue That it shuld. 
December the 25 1727 

A true coppi of the uot 

attesed By Elkanah 

Wales 

Pret clerk 



Endorsement on the back of the Petition for the new Precinct. 

In the Houfe of Reprefentatives January 3^1 1727 Read & Ordered. 

A Petition of John Niles Samuel Payne & others Inhabitants of the South 
Precin6t in Brantrey in behalf of themselves & their neighbours Praying to be 
fet off a feparate & diftind Precind agreable to a Vote pas'd at a Precind Meet- 
ing legully warned & held the 19th of Decmr last e.xhibited with the faid Petition. 

In the Houfe of Reprefentatves Read & Ordered that the Prayer of the Peti- 
tion be granted, And that the Petitioners with their Families & Estates lying & 
being within the Lines particularly fet forth & defcribed in & by a Vote of the 
South Precintt in Brantrey regularly held there the nineteenth Day of December 












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One Hundred and Fiftieth Anniversary. 141 

laft paft, to the Petition annexed, are hereby conftituted a feparate & diftinft 
Precin6t, & invefted & endowed with equal Powers, Privileges & Immunities 
with any other Precind in the Province ; And that Mr John Niles Junr a princi- 
pal Inhabitant in the faid Precinct be impowered & directed to notify & summon 
the Inhabitants duly qualified for Voters to affemble & convene for the choice 
of Precinft officers to ll:and until the next annual Election according to Law. 

Sent up for concurrence 

Wm. Dudley Spr 
In council 

Jan 5 1727, Read & Concurd 

J. WiLLARD Secry 
Confented to 

W. DUMMER. 



The Covenant Adopted at the Organization of the Church, 
jfune 8th, lyji. 

We whose names are hereunto subscribed, apprehending ourselves called of 
God into the church state of the gospel, do first of all confess ourselves unworthy 
to be so highly favored of the Lord ; and admire that free and rich grace of His, 
which triumphs over so great unworthiness : — and thus with our humble reliance 
on the aids of grace therein promised for them that in a sense of their inability 
to do any good thing, do humbly wait on him for all, — we now thankfully lay 
hold on his Covenant and would choose the things that please Him. 

We declare our serious belief of the christian religion, as contained in the 
sacred scriptures, and with a view thereof as the confession of Faith in our 
churches has exhibited; heartily resolving to conform our lives unto the rules of 
that holy religion, as long as we live in the world. 

We give up ourselves unto the Lord Jehovah, who is the Father, Son and 
Holy Spirit, and avouch him this day to be our God, Father, Saviour, and Lord, 
and receive him as our portion forever. 

We give up ourselves unto the blessed Jesus, who is the Lord Jehovah, and 
adhere to him as the head of his people in the covenant of grace ; and rely on 
him as our Prophet, Priest and King, to bring us into eternal blessedness. 

We acknowledge our everlasting and indispensable obligations in all the duties 
of a godly, sober, and virtuous life ; and very particularly in the duties of a church 
state ; and a body of people associated for an obedience to him in all the ordi- 
nances of the gospel ; and we therefore depend upon his gracious assistance, for 
our faithful discharge of the duties that are incumbent on us. 

We desire and intend, and with dependence on his promised grace, we engage 
to walk together as a church of the Lord Jesus Christ in the faith and order of 
the gospel; so far as we shall have the same revealed unto us; conscientiously 
attending the public worship of God, the sacraments of his New Testament, the 
discipline of his Kingdom, and all his holy institutions in communion with one 
another ; — withal promising to walk orderly in the way of fellowship and com- 
munion with all the churches of Christ according to those rules of holy order 
which he hath appointed. 



142 First Congregational Church, Randolph. 

At the same time we present our offspring with us unto the Lord, purposing 
with his help to do our part in the methods of a religious education, that they 
may be the Lord's. 

And all this we do, flying to the blood of the everlasting covenant for the par- 
don of all our sins, and praying that the glorious Lord who is the great shepherd 
would prepare and strengthen us to every good work to do his will, working in 
us that which will be pleasing in his sight. 

To whom be glory forever and ever. Amen. 

Original members: Elisha Eaton, pastor; John Niles, Moses Curtis, John 
Niles, William Copeland, Thomas Wales, David Eames, Samuel Bass, Joseph 
White, David Slone. 

We have not the original of this document. A finely written copy exists, dated 
"June I2th, 1774," and thus endorsed: "The church renewed their covenant 
and consented that the committee of said church should sign it in their behalf. 

" Moses Taft, pastor. Thomas Wales, Joshua Howard, Joseph White, Peter 
Thayer, Benjamin Porter, Jonathan Wild. 

" Two of the first signers when the church was first gathered were of the com- 
mittee when it was renewed, viz. : Thomas Wales and Joseph White. The rest 
lie dormant in the tomb." 

Confession of Faith and Covenant, "/« use during Dr. Strong's 
ministry^ and till the year 1826^ when a form slightly differing 
from this was adopted, and is still retained. 

CONFESSION OF FAITH. 

You believe that there is but one only living, self-existent, independent and 
eternal God, Maker of all things in heaven and earth. You believe that God 
exists in three Persons, Father, Son, and Holy Ghost; and that they essentially 
possess the same infinite perfections. You believe that the Scriptures of the Old 
and New Testament were given by Divine inspiration, and are the only infallible 
rule of faith and practice. That God made man at first upright, endued with his 
image of knowledge and holiness : — that man has sinned against God, and 
entirely lost his moral image: — that in consequence of the first apostacy all 
mankind are born into the world destitute of holiness, and are totally opposed 
to God, and justly deserving of endless punishment. — That the Son of God, the 
second Person in the Trinity has made an atonement for the sins of men, and 
that whosoever will repent and believe in him may be saved: — That God has a 
church in the world and an elect number to call in ; — That all the elect will be 
justified by free grace through Jesus Christ and that all whom God justifies he 
will glorify forever; and that the finally impenitent will be subjected to endless 
punishment. 

These things you profess to believe. 

COVENANT. 

In the presence of God, angels and men, you do now sincerely and solemnly, 
according to the terms of the everlasting covenant, take the true God, the Lord 



One Hundred and Fiftieth Anniversary. 143 

Jehovah to be your God, renouncing all other Gods. You take the Lord Jesus 
Christ to be your Prophet, Priest and King. You solemnly promise, divine grace 
assisting, to walk sincerely and uprightly before God, all your days in obedience 
to his holy commands, as they are or shall be made known to you from time to 
time. You give up yourself to this church in the Lord, promising and covenant- 
ing to cleave to us and walk together with us, as a member of the same mystical 
body, and as an instituted church of Christ, obedience while you continue a mem- 
ber of it, in holy love, subjection and truthfulness, determining to assemble with 
us for the worship of God, ministering to our needs according to your ability. 
You submit yourself to the discipline of Christ in this church. You promise to 
walk orderly in the way of fellowship with all the churches of Christ among us, 
agreeably to those rules of holy order which he has appointed : that the Lord 
may be one and his name one, in all the churches, throughout all generations to 
his eternal glory in Christ Jesus. Thus you promise. 

I therefore pronounce you a member of the church of Christ in this place, 
entitled to all the privileges of the same ; and may you adorn the profession you 
have now made by a blameless life and conversation. 

Rev. Mr. Taft's Confession of Faith, read at his ordination, 
August 26, 1752, and printed by request of Council. 

I believe, the existence of one Supreme Being who is possessed of all possible 
perfection and glory; who is the Creator, Upholder, and Governour of all things. 

I believe, that in the Godhead there are three Persons, namely, the Father, 
the Son, and the Holy Ghost ; and that these three are the same in Substance, 
have in them all the perfections of the divine nature, and are equal in Power and 
Glory. 

I believe, God has from all Eternity foreordained whatsoever comes to pass ; 
and yet not so as in any degree to become the Author of sin, or to destroy the 
moral agency in his rational creatures, and lay any constraint on the will of his 
creatures to sin, in order to bring about the divine decrees : but though the decrees 
of God render events necessary, yet they do not take away the liberty of moral 
agents, so that they should not act freely in what they do, in bringing about the 
decrees of God. 

I believe, God did at the first make man holy and upright after his own 
image and moral likeness ; furnished him with the skill and ability requisite to 
yield that obedience which was due from him, and gave him power to have con- 
tinued in the estate wherein he was created ; but man being left to the freedom 
of his own will was overcome by the Temptation of the Serpent to eat of the 
forbidden fruit; and so fell from the rectitude he was created in, by sinning 
against God; and Adam being appointed of God to be the federal head and 
representative of mankind, he by his disobedience plunged himself and his pos- 
terity into a state of sin and misery. 

I believe, that God has from everlasting elected to salvation a certain number 
of the race of mankind ; not for anything he saw in them, more than in those 
that were not chosen by him. 



144 First Congregational Church, Ratidolph. 

I believe, that Jesus Christ the incarnate Son of God is the one only Mediator 
between God and men, and that it is by the merits of Christ, and his imputed 
righteousness, and through faith only that salvation is obtained by any of the 
fallen race of mankind. 

I believe in the doctrines of repentance toward God and faith toward our 
Lord Jesus Christ, as necessary means, appointed of God for man's acceptance 
in his sight ; and also the necessity of regeneration, or the new birth ; and that 
those who are born again by the Spirit of God, are now justified, and should be 
progressively sanctified, and be made through grace to persevere' unto eternal 
life. 

I believe, the absolute necessity of the special assistance of the Holy Spirit 
of God to begin and carry on the good work of grace in men's hearts, without 
which no man is capable to perform any religious duty acceptably to God. 

I believe, that the light of nature is not sufficient to lead and direct men in 
their present lapsed estate in the way to true and final holiness ; as the mind and 
conscience is naturally defiled. 

I believe, God has out of his infinite mercy given a complete revelation of his 
mind and will in his holy Word (the Bible, consisting of the Old and New Testa- 
ment) as to all things necessary to be known for the salvation of sinners ; which 
I receive as coming from God, and resolve by the grace of God assisting me to 
make the rule of my faith and practice. 

I believe, the Immortality of the soul ; that the soul exists after the separa- 
tion is made by death between the soul and body ; and that at death the soul 
doth pass immediately into a perfect state of happiness or misery. 

Finally, I believe the Resurrection of the body, to a final Judgment, when the 
future and eternal state of all men shall be determined by Christ the glorious 
Judge at his second coming, in the end of the world ; when every one shall be 
judged in righteousness, and shall receive the things done in his body, according 
to that he hath done, whether it be good or evil." 

"N. B. The Rev. Mr. Taft's Confession of Faith, was, by order of the 
council, read in council, and also publicly, previous to the charge ; for a testi- 
mony to the truth as it is in Jesus ; and to his belief of, and adherence to those 
essential Doctrines of the Gospel, and articles of the Christian faith professed in 
these New England churches: — worthy of imitation in these perilous times in 
like cases, as one proper expedient to prevent the further spread of errors in 
the land, and defection in the churches." 

Rev. Mr. Taft's Confession of Faith is here given, not only for its own intrinsic worth, but 
also as it is the only production of his pen now known to us. We have manuscript sermons of 
Rev. Mr. Eaton, the first pastor, and printed sermons of Dr. Strong, the third, but this only from 
the second pastor, who held the office for forty years save one. 



One Hundred and Fiftieth Anniversary. 145 



The Relation of the Ancient Precinct to the Public Schools. 

The Massachusetts Act of 1647 required every town containing "fifty house- 
holders," to provide a school free to all children. One school was surely quite 
inadequate to the wants of a town like Braintree in 1730, with three precincts, 
and stretching from Boston harbor to the Old Colony line. The management 
of the schools was in the hands of the town-meeting, and was entrusted to a 
School Committee, but not having independent powers as at the present 
time. The town (but not a precinct) could lay a tax for one school or more ; or, 
the additional schools might be supported by individual subscriptions. 

This South Precinct was left to the undisturbed management of its schools. 
It determined when and where they should be held ; decided the location of 
school-houses ; received from the town its share of the school-money, and 
expended it as the precinct thought best. A School Committee was appointed 
annually for nearly sixty years, and this committee was always held to strict 
account by the precinct rneeting. 

Dr. Alden, in his papers on the early history of the town, has given a sketch 
of the rise and progress of schools. He states that " The first school-house in 
town was built about the same time as the first meeting-house [1727], perhaps at 
a little earlier period. It was small and inconvenient. It stood near the meet- 
ing-house, not far from the line of North Street, which then ran east of the 
present location, to avoid a steep ascent which was afterward removed. The 
house was never finished, and a proposition was made at an early day to dispose 
of it and build a larger one." 

We are not informed when the first school was opened. The following votes, 
taken directly from the parish records, give the only light we have upon this 
point. 

"October the 14th 1729, Put to vote by the Modderator Wheather we 
Would Do any[thing] toward finishing the School Hous & It Past In the Negit- 
tive." 

"April the 20th 1730, Voted that there shall be three men chose as A com- 
mety to partition to the town at their next meeting that we might Either haue 
our proportionable part of the School or be releised of the charge which we pay 
to it." This petition was granted by vote of the town of Braintree, Nov. 2, 1730, 
and ;^8 allowed. 

" December the 14th 1730, propounded by the Moderator whether we would 
haue A School Keept this winter Season amongst us as far as the Eight pounds 
will go and it past in the negetiue." 

"January the 15 1731, asked By the moderator whether we would haue A 
school keept the Remaining part of this winter Season and it past in the negi- 
tiue." 

A portion of the records for the next three years has been torn out and lost ; 
on the leaves which remain no allusion is made to a school till we come to the 
following : 

" March 14th 1734, voted to keep a scoll. voted to chouse a commity to 
rescue (receive) the mony of the town and to lay it out in kieeping of a scoull in 



146 First Congregational Church, Randolph. 

said Precinct, voted Samuel Pain Samuel ITayden Cooper John Niles this com- 
mity." 

"December 2d 1735, we voted to keep a school this winter, we voted to 
chuse a commity. we voted Dea. Thomas Wales Samuel Pain Samuel Bass a 
commity to order the school this commity to haue power to demand and rescue 
(receive) the money out of the town Treasurer and to agree with a school master." 

With almost unbroken regularity a similar vote appears year by year until 
the town was incorporated in 1793. ^'■' Alden remarks that for the purpose of 
lengthening the term of the school, money was not unfrequently raised by sub- 
scription in addition to the amount received from the town. 

"March 21 1737, Chose Jonathan Clark Samuel Venton Peter Thayer a 
Comety to call the former comety to an a Count Confarning the Schoole money 
and to Give in thair report to the next meeting. Voted that the Comety Last 
Chosen are impoured to buld a School House on the Precincts Land near the 
Meeting-House provided thaye can gather a nouf by waye of subberscrepshion 
to Defraye the charge thair of (sd House to be 20 feet Long & 16 feet wide) and 
to give an a count to the next meeting how far thaye have proceded in the buld- 
ing of sd House." 

"September 25 1738 voted to Recue (receive) the School House to be a 
precinct School House upon the Terme the commity offered Which was as 
folleth. 

" We the subscribers being freely wiling to encorig The bulding a Schoolhouse 
neer the meting house on the precincts Land for the Use and Benifit of the pre- 
cinct provided it be cept in Repair At that place Aboue said At the charge of 
said precinct and improued for a School house. We do giue as followeth — 

" Dea. Thomas Wales, £(i. Lieut. Joshua Hayward £\. s\. Dea. Samuel 
Bass. £2,.s-j. Ensign Joseph Wales. £■})■ Joseph White, £i.sj.d6. Napthali 
Thayer, s 14. Benjamin Porter j'i4. John Clark, si6. Alexander French, £z. 
Thomas French, £2. William Linfield, £2. El)enezer Niles £1. s6. Cooper 
John Niles, £1. s6. William Copeland, sj. Joseph Hayward, s6. Joseph 
Thayer, J7. Nathan Niles, Ji 2. Jonathan Hayden j8. Daniel Niles ^7. Sam- 
uel Vesey jig. John Nightingale J14. John Vesey sy. Joseph Spear, ^14. 
Benjamin Spear, J7. Benjamin Pain, JI2. Christopher Hayden, J5. John 
Smith, .f3 d6. Of the committee, Jonathan Clark, ;i^3. Samuel Vinton £2- 
Peter Thayer £4. sio. Total £4^. si." 

"Octbr The 13th 1740. We chofe Thomas French Ebenezer Copeland & 
Peter Thayer to Be a Committee to Provide a School Marfler. It was Voted 
that the above Said Committee Should have Power to provide a Table and 
Benchis In the School houfe Which Shall Be Necafery for the use of the School." 

" March the 14th Day 1744 Voted that the People on Cochato Side of the 
River that live within the bounds of Said Precinct Should haue five pounds old 
Tennor of the School Money To the use of a Scool To be Cept on that Side of 
the River upon Conditions that they provide a Houfe for the School to be Cept in. 
Voted that the people that Live on the Northweil Side of Surcuits ordinary 
[t. e. in the northwest part of the precinct] Should have five pounds old Tennor 
of the School Money Laid out in the ufe of a School Being Cept There 



One Hundred and Fiftieth Anniversary. 147 

amongst them upon Conditions that they Provide a Houfe for the School to be 
Cept in." 

The people on the Cochato side seem to have accepted the condition, and 
annual appropriations for their school follow quite regularly. No further allu- 
sion is made to a school northwest of " Surcuits ordinary," but the following 
vote implies that other schools were in due time established. 

"March ye yth 1765, Voted that the People on Cochato Side of the River & 
other extreem parts of the Precinct have the benefit of Such a part of the School 
Money as usual." 

This vote is twenty-one years later than the preceding. During this period it 
is evident that new schools were opened, but their location, their number, and in 
what order they were established, does not appear. 

" The custom seems to have been to use the money thus voted to the remote 
parts of the precinct to provide instruction for the younger children in the warm 
season of the year. These schools were usually taught by females and kept in 
private houses until regular districts were formed and school-houses erected in 

them In East Randolph [Holbrook] the first school-house was erected 

probably about the year 1750. It stood on the corner south of the meeting- 
house." Dr. E. Alden. 

The town of Braintree voted in 1763, "That there be a school-house built in 
each precinct of said town at the town's expense." The exact location of the 
houses in the North and Middle Precincts was designated, and then it was 
voted, " that the South Precinct have liberty to provide a place for to erect a 
school house." The new house was erected soon after. It was located near the 
present residence of Colonel Eleazar Beal, and was used as a school-house till 
1799, and then gave place to another on the same spot. 

In the warrant for the Precinct Meeting held April 27th, 1767, an article was 
inserted " To see if the Precinct will raise any money to add to that they Draw 
from the Town Treasury in order to support a Moving School in said Precinct 
the whole of the year." " It past in the negative." In some towns " a Moving 
School" was often allowed. It "moved" from place to place for the better 
accommodation of the scattered families. 

"March, 7th 177 1, Voted that a considerable Part of the School Money this 
year should be laid out to encourage Women Schools leaving it to Cornet Bafs 
Discretion to manage the same." 

There is no record of the names of school-masters for the first forty years of 
the precinct's history. Dr. Alden says Rev. Mr. Eaton probably taught the 
winter school at times; and that Jabez Porter, commonly called "Master 
Porter," was the most distinguished teacher. Toward the latter part of the last 
century, Mr. Porter's name appears in the Braintree town records at different 
dates, as the teacher of a " Latin School." It is thought that he kept the school 
in all the precincts — North, Middle, and South — probably four months in each, 
during the year. For the period from 1769 to 1792 a list of the school teachers 
in this precinct has been drawn from the Braintree town books (by the kindness 
of Samuel A. Bates, Esq., Town Clerk of Braintree), where for this term of years 
only, the record of orders on the treasury is found, stating the name of the 



148 First Congregational Church, Randolph. 

teacher, the length of the school, and the wages paid. The names are here 
given in the order of time ; the numeral after a name indicates the number of 
years of service ; its absence signifies one year only : 

Jabez Porter, 4; Joshua Hayward, 3; Ebenezer Crane; Andrew Hunt, 5; 
Edward Jones; Jonathan Allen; Jabez Thayer, 2; Josiah Babcock, 3; Samuel 
Savill, 2; Isaac Thayer, 7; Zachaeus Thayer, 8; Benjamin Webb; Moses Taft, 
2 ; Eleazar Taft, 3 ; Joseph Taft, 2 ; Phinehas Taft, 3 ; Joseph Wales ; Samuel 
Allen ; Bartholomew Thayer, 2 ; Captain Jacob Wales ; Seth Turner, Jr., 8 ; 
Samuel Bass; Elijah French, 2; Doctor Ebenezer Alden, 4; John Faxon; 
Daniel Wild, 3 ; John French ; Major Jeremiah Niles, 2 ; Doctor Benjamin 
Turner, a " Grammar School ; " Eliphalet Sawin, Jr. 

The female teachers from 1770-1790, were as follows: Captain Ephraim 
Hunt's wife ; Reliance Allen ; Ruth Porter ; Phebe Thayer, 2 ; Deacon Peter 
Thayer's daughter (probably the same as the last) ; Abigail Wales ; wife of 
Micaiah White ; Hannah Wild, daughter of Jonathan, 2 ; Mrs. Emms ; wife of 
Simeon Hayward; wife of Josiah Thayer; Mary Porter; Mrs. Sally Turner, 2; 
Mrs, Esther Dyer, 3, Polly Davenport Packard; Kate, or Caty, Taft, 2; Sukey 
Taft, 3. 

Wages varied with the grade of the school, and the ability of the teacher. 
The master of a " Grammar School " (sometimes called a " Latin School ") 
received high wages, as he was expected to prepare boys for college. These 
higher schools were not attended by girls (as a rule throughout New England) 
till about 1800. The following items will serve as examples of the teachers' pay : 
1770, Jabez Porter (Grammar School), four months, ^^lo. JI3. </4. Andrew 
Hunt, two months, £2. sZ. 1771, Jabez Thayer, two months, £l. jig. Captain 
Ephraim Hunt's wife, nine weeks, £i.s-]. 1772, Deacon Peter Thayer's daughter, 
ten weeks, £2. 

In 1730 the South Precinct drew from the town treasury as its proportion 
of the school money, £'?>\ in 1790, ;^35. J5. r/9; and in 1792 (after Quincy had 
been set off), ;^6i. s\o. 

With the year 1793 the South Precinct of Braintree, which had exercised 
watchful care over the schools within its territory for sixty years, yielded the 
responsible charge into the keeping of the new town of Randolph, and became 
thereafter the First Parish of Randolph. 



Sfntiejc* 



Academy, Randolph, 37, 113, 130. 

Alden, Dr. Ebenezer, 9, 30, 43, 133. 

Alden, Rev. Ebenezer, Jr., history of the Sabbath school by, 50. 

Alden, Rev. Dr. Edmund K., letter from, 135. 

Baptist Churches in Randolph, 29, 125. 

Belcher, Hon. J. White, historical sketch of parish and town by, 104. 

Bible, first reading of, in Sabbath service, 28. 

Braintree, second precinct's vote for a third precinct, 140. 

Brigham, Rev. David, letter from, 138. 

Choirs, anniversary, 102 ; early, 94. 

Choristers, list of, loi. 

Church, First Congregational Church of Randolph, history of origin and 

progress, 9-47. 
College graduates, 41. 
Committees, 6. 
Cordley, Rev. C. M., 31. 
Covenants of the Church, 141, 142. 

Deacons, sketches of, 33 ; roll of, 49. 

Dickerman, Benjamin, history of meeting-houses by, 58. 

Dwight, Rev. H. E., 32. 

East Randolph, Church formed at, 29; early residents of, 59; first schools 

in, 147. 
Eaton, Rev. Elisha, 14-19, 147. 
Exercises at One Hundred and Fiftieth Anniversary, 4. 

Fisher, Hon. M. M., letter from, 137. 

Foster, Rev. J. C, address of, 124. 

Funds, church, 26; Jonathan Wales, 117; ministerial, 117; parsonage, 117. 

General Court, grants the precinct, 140. 
Gulliver, Rev. Dr. J. P., address of, 130. 



150 First Congregational Church, Randolph. 

Half- Way Covenant, 17. 

History, of First Congregational Church, 9; of Sabbath school, 50; of meeting- 
houses, 58 ; of music, 83 ; of precinct and parish, 104 ; of town of Ran- 
dolph, 109; of public schools, 112, 145. 

Hitchcock, Rev. Dr. Calvin, 30, 31, 135, 138. 

Holbrook, town of, 116. 

Labaree, Rev. J. C, discourse by, 9; installation of, 32. 
Loring, Rev. H. A., address of, 122. 

Mann, Rev. Asa, history of music by, 83. 

Means, Rev. J. H., letter from, 138. 

Meeting-houses, history of, 58-82 : plan of the second, 70-71. 

Members, original, of Church, 142. 

Ministers sent out from the Church, 38. 

Music, history of, in Church and parish, 83-103. 

Parish history, 104-118. 

Park, Professor E. A., D.D., letter from, 139. 

Pastors, roll of, 48. 

Petition, original, for a precinct, 140, 141. 

Petitioners for south precinct, 13, 59 

Pew-owners in second meeting-house in 1764, 68. 

Pew-owners in second meeting-house in 1825, 70-71. 

Pomeroy, Rev. Thaddeus, 28-30. 

Preliminary proceedings of Church and parish respecting the One Hundred and 

Fiftieth Anniversary, 3. 
Psalm-books in early use, 85. 

Randolph, town incorporated, 109; town affairs, 109, 116. 
Revivals of religion, 19, 24, 30, 32. 

Sabbath school, history of, 50-57. 

School-teachers in early times, 148. 

Settlers, first, in south precinct, 11, 59. 

Singing-schools, 100. 

Strong, Edward A., address of, 119. 

Strong, Rev. Jonathan, D.D., 21-28, 120, 125, 127. 

Superintendents of Sabbath school, list of, 54. 

Taft, Rev. Moses, 20-22 ; confession of faith by, 143. 
Tarbo.x, Rev. Dr., address of, 127. 



Wales Fund, Jonathan, 117. 



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